Seek warranty from road contractors: HC

SHILLONG, Nov 17: The High Court of Meghalaya has said that the state government should seek a kind of warranty so that the contractors are liable to carry out repair work if a road appears damaged or gives way within a specified time from the completion of its construction.
The High Court made this observation on Thursday while hearing a PIL pertaining to the construction of the Agia-Mendhipara-Phulbari-Tura (AMPT) Road.
It said the official report filed on the AMPT Road made it seem sufficient progress has been made with a stretch of at least 33 km having been completed.
The petitioner AH Hazarika had complained that the work on the remaining 41 km stretch of the road, awarded to six different contractors, has been sub-standard. He was apprehensive that the road may lose the black-topping within a month or so of its purported completion.
“Over several short stretches of the AMPT Road, a number of contractors have been engaged. The state says that this has been done to expedite the work, particularly since local contractors may not have the resources to undertake work on larger stretches and complete the same within a short time,” the court order on Thursday read.
“As to the quality of construction in the 9 km stretch of the 41 km road that the petitioner complains of, the statement appended to the latest report filed reveals that the work entrusted is the usual as would be in respect of the construction or repair of any road,” it read.
The supervising engineer of PWD (Roads) overseeing the construction of such a stretch was requested to ensure that the standard as required of the contractor is maintained so that there is no deterioration in the condition of the road shortly after the completion of construction, the court said.
“Indeed, the state would do well to seek a kind of warranty so that the contractors are liable to carry out the repair work if a road appears damaged or gives way within a specified time after the completion of its construction,” the court said.