NHA introduces performance rating system for road building firms

NEW DELHI: Private contractors engaged in building and maintaining national highways across India will be subjected to a performance-based rating system to enhance accountability and improve quality ensuring smoother and safer travel, the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) said in a statement on Friday.
Based on their score, the contractors will be classified into different categories ranging from “excellent” to “failed”.
Contractors scoring less than 70 out of 100 will be declared ‘non-performers’ and, will be ineligible to secure new national highway projects till they improve their score.
NHAI said this rating would be updated every six months at two levels: an individual project level and a concessionaire level. It will be made available on the NHAI website and social media platforms.
“The assessment methodology will be based on pavement condition index (PCI) as well as defect rectification compliance on NHAI One App where over 95 defects can be notified and monitored digitally,” the statement said. It added that 80% weightage would be given to PCI and 20% to compliance on NHAI One App.
The pavement condition index, a metric in the road construction industry, will be calculated based on six functional parameters — roughness, potholes, cracking, ravelling, rut depth and patchwork — which would be calculated using various technological solutions such as laser crack measurement systems in network survey vehicles.