The road transport ministry has moved to formally define “catastrophic failures” within the performance rating framework for national highway projects, tightening contractor accountability. The decision follows repeated complaints about poor construction quality, including on tolled corridors.
Under the revised criteria, any incident classified as a catastrophic failure will trigger a 30 point deduction in the contractor’s performance rating. This deduction will directly affect eligibility for future project awards.
Catastrophic failures will include the collapse of bridges, flyovers, or underpasses; pavement failures that materially compromise structural integrity or serviceability; tunnel related incidents such as collapses within tunnels or at tunnel portals resulting in human entrapment exceeding 72 hours; and structural failures during construction or operation, including the collapse of launching girders, staging systems, tunnels, or tunnel portals. Pavement failures that require complete reconstruction within five years of project completion will also be classified as catastrophic failures. In such cases, the concessionaire will be held responsible.
