Bhubaneswar: Odisha Government, under the visionary leadership of Chief Minister Shri Mohan Charan Majhi, has embarked on a transformative journey to overhaul the state’s infrastructure development sector. This progressive shift is being actively championed by Minister of Works, Law, and Excise, Shri Prithiviraj Harichandan.
Such an exercise is executed with rigorous reformist zeal by Principal Secretary, Works, Shri Sanjay Kumar Singh. A cornerstone of this reform is the newly established Policy Framework regarding the Defect Liability Period (DLP) and maintenance obligations for road and bridge projects, designed to safeguard public interest and ensure long-term quality in the state’s PWD road network.
The fundamental objective of this reform is to instill a culture of accountability and high-quality workmanship among contractors. By definition, the DLP is a fixed duration following project completion during which the contractor remains fully responsible for the performance of the work. During this window, any defects, deficiencies, or failures arising from poor materials, substandard workmanship, or design shortcomings must be rectified by the contractor at their own cost. This policy serves as a critical assurance mechanism, ensuring that infrastructure continues to function satisfactorily without placing an immediate financial burden on the state treasury for repairs.
The reform introduces a nuanced and extensive timeline for these obligations, significantly longer than previous standards. For roads constructed with flexible pavement, including minor bridges, the DLP is set at five years. However, for more complex or durable projects, such as those involving rigid pavement, major bridges, ROBS, or tunnels, the period extends to ten years. Notably, the policy also mandates a ten-year DLP for any project utilizing new technologies or materials, reflecting a commitment to innovation while managing the associated risks.
Accountability is further reinforced through strict remedial timelines and heavy penalties. Upon notification of a defect by the competent authority, a contractor is required to initiate repairs within 15 days. Should they fail to do so, the authority reserves the right to undertake the repairs independently at the contractor’s risk and cost. Beyond simple cost recovery, the state will levy an additional 20% of the repair cost as damages, ensuring that negligence carries a significant financial deterrent. Furthermore, the DLP itself is deemed extended until all identified defects are satisfactorily remedied.
Parallel to the defect liability is a robust maintenance framework aimed at ensuring safe, smooth, and uninterrupted traffic flow. Contractors are now responsible for the comprehensive upkeep of support systems, including patrolling, communication, and administrative functions, while also monitoring for unauthorized use or encroachments on the project site. To ensure this is not merely a passive obligation, the state has linked maintenance to a structured payment schedule. For instance, rigid pavement projects receive a tiered payment starting at 0.25% of the contract price in the early years and rising to 0.75% in the final years of the ten-year cycle, provided maintenance standards are met.
The supervision and monitoring aspect of this policy represents a significant leap in governance. The competent authority is mandated to conduct regular monthly inspections, supplemented by detailed pre-monsoon and post-monsoon audits of bridges and drainage systems. Transparency is maintained through the requirement for contractors to submit monthly maintenance programmes and status reports. Non-compliance with maintenance requirements leads to immediate reductions in monthly payments, which cannot be recovered even after the fault is corrected, thereby demanding consistent performance.
To ensure the highest standards, the state has also integrated external technical audits and safety audits into the project lifecycle. External auditors can be appointed at any time to conduct quality tests and laboratory sampling, with their findings being binding for remedial actions. This multi-layered oversight, combined with the overriding powers of the competent authority to take over projects in cases of material breach or danger to the public, creates a high-stakes environment where quality is the only option. This comprehensive reform package signals a new era for Odisha’s infrastructure, where public funds are protected by the highest standards of professional accountability.