Description

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Context:

Construction defects in National Highways cause repeated accidents and deaths.

Background

The Minister for Road, Transport and Highways underlined that India is losing 3% of its GDP annually due to road accidents. He stated that India records around 4,80,000 road accidents annually, resulting in 1,88,000 deaths.

Accidents on National Highways (NH) are mainly caused by poor construction. These problems include cracks in roads, uneven surfaces, potholes, and other defects. These issues make highways unsafe and lead to many accidents.

Accidents happen repeatedly at certain spots called "black spots," which are directly linked to construction defects like cracks, potholes, and uneven surfaces make driving unsafe. For example, if a road has cracks or dips, drivers might lose control of their vehicles.

What kinds of defects are found on Highways?

Pavement Issues: Cracks in concrete slabs, potholes, and uneven surfaces. For example, cracks were found in cement panels on NH-200 in Chhattisgarh.
Retaining Wall Problems: Retaining walls hold back soil or rocks. A wall collapsed in Arunachal Pradesh, causing a major issue.
Bridge Defects: Bridges have problems like damaged slabs. In Maharashtra, a major bridge on NH-06 had slab damage and needed reconstruction.
Other Construction Issues: These include rutting (deep tire marks) and settlements (uneven surfaces). For example, rutting was found on the Delhi-Vadodara Expressway.

Who is responsible for these defects?

The Minister of Road Transport and Highways blames engineers and consultants who prepare substandard project reports (DPRs). He says small engineering mistakes lead to hundreds of deaths. Contractors who build the roads are also responsible.

Authorities like the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), Border Roads Organisation (BRO), and Public Works Departments (PWDs) inspect highways regularly. Third-party auditors also check for problems. For example, the Central Road Research Institute (CRRI) and IIT Tirupati helped identify and fix surface deformations in Andhra Pradesh.

Contractors face penalties, fines, and even bans for their mistakes. For example, in Andhra Pradesh, a contractor had to pay Rs 10.99 lakh as a penalty for defects in a retaining wall. In Rajasthan, a contractor was fined Rs 1 crore for a failed bridge structure.

Why does India have so many highway defects?

India has increased its highway network from 91,287 km in 2014 to 1.46 lakh km in 2024. However, rapid construction leads to quality issues. For example, contractors might rush to complete projects, which lead to poor workmanship. Engineers and consultants sometimes prepare substandard project reports, which cause design flaws. Weather conditions, like heavy rain, also damage roads.

Defects create "black spots" on highways where accidents happen repeatedly. For example, uneven surfaces or potholes can cause vehicles to lose control. These defects increase the risk of accidents, especially at night when drivers can’t see hazards clearly.