Gadkari Enforces Stringent Standards on EPC Road Projects

Union Minister Nitin Gadkari announced the government's plan to extend the defect liability period for EPC road projects from five to ten years to ensure better quality roads. This measure aims to improve maintenance and compel contractors to deliver top-notch road construction under the EPC mode.

Union Minister Nitin Gadkari has revealed a major shift in policy concerning EPC road projects, aimed at enhancing the quality of national highways. In a bold move, the defect liability period for these projects will be doubled from five to ten years.

The announcement came amid concerns about the substandard quality of roads constructed under the EPC model, where maintenance responsibility traditionally shifts to the government after five years.

The increased liability period is intended to hold contractors accountable for longer, ensuring that the roads they construct meet higher standards and reducing problems that have been surfacing within a few years of completion.

(With inputs from agencies.)