LUCKNOW: The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) on Wednesday suspended toll collection on the Kanpur-Lucknow Expressway until repairs to a damaged stretch are completed.It also initiated disciplinary action against the concessionaire, engineer and several officials over alleged lapses in project execution and supervision, news agency PTI reported.The action follows widespread complaints about damaged portions and patchwork at various locations on the 63-km-long expressway within weeks of its inauguration on July 13.Several commuters took to social media platforms and posted videos expressing concern over the construction quality of the multi-crore expressway, particularly on the Unnao-Lucknow carriageway.Commuters were charged a one-way fee of Rs 275 for car/jeep/van, while the annual pass was allowed on the toll.“Till complete rectification, toll has been suspended. No toll will be charged from commuters on this expressway. Recovery of the toll loss will be done from the concessionaire,” the NHAI said in a statement on Wednesday.The action follows the report of a “slippage” near Km 64 of the expressway on July 26, it added.The authority said restoration work was taken up immediately after the incident and traffic was diverted at the affected location.“At present, traffic has been diverted at this spot and is plying smoothly,” it said.NHAI said it had issued a notice proposing to declare concessionaire PNC Infratech Ltd a non-performer, which would make it ineligible to participate in bidding for future NHAI projects.A show-cause notice has also been issued proposing a penalty equivalent to 2% of the performance security, debarment proceedings for up to three years against the firm’s head of pavement/highways and other responsible staff, and a downgrade of the concessionaire’s performance rating.The concessionaire was also directed to rectify the affected stretch at its own cost, currently estimated at around Rs 3 crore.The authority removed the construction agency’s project manager Vivek Kumar Gupta, independent engineer team leader Surendra Kumar and resident engineer Yatendra Kumar from the project and debarred them from projects of the ministry of road transport and highways, NHAI and NHIDCL for two years.It also repatriated the present project director Nakul Prakash Verma to his parent department and said charge sheets were being issued against him and former project director Saurabh Chaurasia over alleged negligence.NHAI said it was also issuing a notice proposing to debar Theme Engineering Services Pvt Ltd, the project’s independent engineer, from participating in future NHAI projects.As part of corrective measures, the authority said it would undertake a laser profilometer-based assessment of pavement conditions across the project stretch. It had also engaged a team of experts led by professor KS Reddy of IIT Kharagpur to investigate the causes of the slippage and recommend remedial measures.“NHAI remains committed to maintaining the highest standards of quality, safety and accountability in the development and maintenance of National Highway infrastructure,” the statement said.(With agency inputs)
