Why in the News?

Recently, a woman died and her husband suffered critical injuries after their vehicle crashed into a divider on the newly-constructed Delhi-Meerut Expressway (DME).

What’s in Today’s Article?

• Introduction (Context of the Article)
• About Defects (Types, Consequences, Accountability, Case Studies, Challenge, Suggestions)

Introduction

• Despite rapid expansion in India’s National Highway (NH) network, serious construction defects continue to undermine road safety.
• From surface deformities and potholes to bridge collapses and poor retaining walls, these structural issues have played a direct role in creating hazardous zones, popularly known as ‘black spots’, across the highway network.
• Between 2019-20 and 2023-24, at least 59 major instances of construction damage were identified across 15 states.
• These defects have not only raised safety concerns but also exposed systemic flaws in project planning, execution, and monitoring.

Types of Construction Defects in National Highways

• The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) categorizes defects under four major heads:
  • Pavement Issues: Cracks, rutting, settlements, and undulations often result from poor-quality materials or faulty engineering.
  • Retaining Wall Failures: Retaining walls, meant to hold back soil and prevent landslides, have collapsed in several locations due to weak construction.
  • Bridge & Structural Damages: Slab failures and nose structure collapses during bridge launches point to serious lapses in design and supervision.
  • Other Construction & Maintenance Shortcomings: These include incomplete drainage systems, improper slope protection, and poor maintenance practices.

Real-World Consequences of Poor Highway Quality

• In two tragic accidents reported in January 2025, faulty road conditions were directly linked to loss of life.
• A newlywed couple met with an accident on the Delhi–Meerut Expressway after their vehicle hit a poorly designed divider.
• Days later, a truck fell into a 50-meter-deep valley in Karnataka’s NH-63, killing 10.
• These instances are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the impact of substandard highway engineering on human lives.

Expert and Government Accountability

• In March 2025, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari openly criticized civil engineers and consultants for preparing flawed Detailed Project Reports (DPRs), calling them primary culprits behind India’s high road fatality numbers.
• In his statement to the Rajya Sabha recently, he revealed that many defects were identified through audits by agencies like NHAI, NHIDCL, BRO, and third-party reviewers.
• Penalties and corrective actions were taken, but the recurrence of such defects indicates systemic issues.

Case Studies of Notable Failures

• Arunachal Pradesh: Retaining wall collapse on NH-713A; 5% of contract value penalized.
• Andhra Pradesh: Settlement issues on NH-71 and NH-16; ₹10.99 lakh recovered.
• Delhi-Vadodara Expressway: Rutting and structural deformation across packages; IIT Kharagpur engaged for permanent solutions.
• Chhattisgarh & West Bengal: Widespread cracking in concrete slabs leading to contractor penalties and DLP extensions.
• Amritsar-Jamnagar Corridor (Rajasthan): Nose structure failure during bridge launch; ₹1 crore penalty and 2-year debarment for the contractor's team.

Impact on Infrastructure Development Goals

• India’s National Highway network has grown from 91,287 km in 2014 to 1.46 lakh km in 2025.
• While this reflects strong policy intent, structural failures pose a major threat to achieving long-term safety and sustainability goals.
• Recurrent defects and post-construction liabilities are increasing project costs and delaying economic benefits.

Structural Challenges in Implementation

• Key bottlenecks include:
  • Lack of oversight on DPRs: Often prepared with outdated or incorrect technical inputs.
  • Weak accountability mechanisms: Contractors face penalties, but structural corrections take years.
  • Limited technical capacity in field staff: Engineers and site supervisors often lack specialized training in modern highway construction norms.

Recommendations for Addressing the Issue

• Reform DPR Evaluation: Mandatory independent technical audits of DPRs before project approval.
• Strengthen Post-Construction Monitoring: Enhance accountability through AI-based project monitoring tools and regular third-party evaluations.
• Penalizing Non-Performance: Blacklisting of repeat offenders among contractors and consultants.
• Build Capacity: Training programs for civil engineers and road contractors to align with international best practices.
• Citizen Feedback Loops: Public platforms for reporting road defects and follow-up action.

Conclusion

India's push toward infrastructural expansion must be accompanied by stringent quality control and greater accountability. The frequency and scale of construction defects in National Highways are not just engineering failures, they represent systemic governance challenges.

By focusing on transparency, training, and technology, the government can not only save money but also save lives. Ensuring road safety must be seen as integral to development, not its casualty.