NHAI tightens norms on EPC contractors

NHAI is set to tighten norms for developers bidding for road projects under the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) mode. Non-performing developers will be disqualified from winning road projects. In the last bidding session on January 2, the highways authority imposed certain filters such as missing at least two construction milestones in past projects, physical progress not commensurate with the funds released, and failure to maintain a highway in spite of two rectification notices, among others. However, the National Highway Builders Federation (NHBF), the apex body of all contractors and builders of national and state highways and bridges, has written a letter to NHAI requesting for a meeting to discuss the impracticability of some of the conditions. Reacting to the punitive measures, MD, Ashoka Buildcon, Satish Parakh said that the approach needs to be modified since whenever there is a milestone delay, it takes a lot of time just to find the reasons, and if the reasons are not attributable to the developers, then they should not be faulted.