Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, (MoRTH) collects and compiles the road accident data from police department of all States/UTs. Accordingly, Ministry brings out annual publication “Road Accident in India” providing data/ information on various facets of road accidents in the Country. Till date Ministry has collected and compiled information up to year 2021. 

           MoRTH is primarily responsible for construction and maintenance of National Highways (NHs). In order to make the NH stretches pothole free, regular maintenance activities are carried out by road owning agencies of Ministry through concessionaires, contractors etc. Concerned project officials inspect the project highways under their respective jurisdictions and take suitable short term and long-term preventive/ remedial measures as per the site requirements.

For ensuring good quality of roads, on NH stretches, repair & maintenance is carried out as per Contract agreement with contractors/ concessionaires. Further, various steps are taken by the Government to monitor and check the construction quality of NHs. All NHs are constructed as per quality standards specified in various codes and guidelines issued by the Ministry and Indian Roads Congress (IRC). This is further ensured by Authority’s Engineer/ Independent Engineers through day-to-day supervision of implementation of quality assurance & control as specified in contract/ concession agreement. If during supervision, any sub-standard work is found, the same is rectified and re-laid in accordance with the prescribed specifications.

The complaints regarding quality of construction work on NHs are also addressed on regular basis and corrective measures are taken thereof. Officials of all Road owing agencies of Ministry undertake regular inspections and contractors are directed to take necessary corrective measures to remove substandard works. In case of any defaults, action is taken against defaulting agencies as per the provisions of agreements.

This information was given by the Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, Shri Nitin Gadkari in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha.

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MJPS