NHAI To Conduct Quality Checks On 17 Low-Bid Highway Projects

The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) will conduct special quality inspections of 17 under-construction National Highway projects where the quoted bid value was more than 15 percent below the estimated project cost. The additional inspections are intended to identify quality-related issues during construction and facilitate corrective action.

The first round of inspections is scheduled to be completed by December 2026. NHAI will subsequently re-inspect the identified projects after six months, using a different team of experts. The special inspections will be carried out in addition to NHAI’s regular quality checks.

The 17 projects were selected using three criteria: construction cost of more than ₹500 crore, a tender discount of over 15 percent and physical progress between 35 and 80 percent. The projects are intended to cover construction works at a stage where quality checks can identify issues requiring corrective action.

17 National Highway Projects Selected For Inspection

The projects include greenfield and access-controlled corridors, bypasses and four- and six-laning works. They are located across Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Punjab, Haryana, Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh.

NHAI has created a pool of experts for the inspections. Specialised teams will be led by 39 experienced and retired engineers from government organisations, including the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, Ministry of Railways, Ministry of Defence and State Public Works Departments. Technical experts will also support the inspection teams.

NHAI To Check Construction Quality And Safety Measures

The inspection teams will assess construction work against approved drawings, technical specifications, contract conditions and project-specific quality plans. Checks will cover construction materials, workmanship, construction methods and records relating to sampling and testing.

The inspections will also examine road safety measures, traffic management and environmental safeguards where applicable. Work that does not meet the required standards will be identified and followed up for corrective action under the applicable contract provisions.

NHAI said the specialised inspections will also be used to identify common quality issues, construction practices and areas where greater accountability may be required from contractors, consultants and other project stakeholders.

The initiative forms part of NHAI’s ongoing quality monitoring of National Highway projects, with the inspections and subsequent re-inspections intended to support timely identification and correction of construction-related issues.