Lapses in rigid pavement work alleged
17 Oct 2025 07:53:08
By Our Staff Reporter
IMPHAL, Oct 16 : Days after news about cracks appearing on a newly built rigid pavement made it to page 1 of this paper, serious lapses in the implementation of the multi-crore project--MURDAMIP has surfaced.
The MURDAMIP, short for Manipur Urban Drainage and Asset Management Improvement Project, is an AIIB funded project being implemented at a cost of Rs 3547.23 crore. Under the project, major roads in Imphal city are being constructed as rigid pavements.
However, in a shocking detail that has surfaced, highly placed and reliable sources have said that the project is being implemented without a supervi- sion consultant--a serious lapse that could fail the entire project.
The cracks that appeared on the newly constructed rigid pavement on Palace Compound Road may be because of the absence of the supervision consultant, the sources have said.
While the appointment of a supervision consultant is highly required and mandatory, the President's Rule administration and its authorities haven't appointed one even months after the project began.
Before the project was implemented, the Governor's administration should have appointed an authority engineer or a supervision consultant, the sources said.
An authority engineer or a supervision engineer is a firm or professional expert/engineer who oversees major construction projects, like highways to ensure design specifications, safety standards, and quality requirements.
The construction of the rigid pavement on the Palace Compound Road is part of a larger project undertaken under the MURDAMIP, which is being implemented at a total cost of Rs 3547.23 crore.
The project is implemented following the EPC (Engineering Procurement and Construction) model.
While construction of rigid pavement is on in other roads in Imphal city, like on the Palace Compound stretch, no supervision consultant has been appointed to oversee them. This has raised concern about the quality of the work, said the sources.
Being implemented following the EPC model, the entire project is handled by a contractor/company which conducts the survey, prepare designs and makes estimates of the cost.
However, all these aspects of the project are to be overseen and approved by a supervision consultant before implementation, said the sources.
Meanwhile, the Public Works Department, which is the implementing agency of the project, however has no qualified engineer to be appointed as the supervision consultant, added the sources.
While the PWD lacks the qualified engineer, no firm has also been engaged as supervision consultant.
Instead, an in-house engineer of the department who is not qualified has been acting as the supervision consultant, potentially compromising the integrity of the project and quality of the rigid pavement, said the sources.
No officials of the PWD could be reached for comments.
Explaining the significance of appointing a well qualified supervision consultant, the sources said the Barak bridge and Makru bridge on the National Highway-37 (Imphal-Jiribam) were constructed overseen by a supervision consultant to ensure quality.
The Imphal Ring Road project is also being overseen by a supervision consultant, they added.
The sources further explained, a supervision consultant approves designs, and the quality assurance plans submitted by a contractor. It monitors and verifies the quality of materials and workmanship on-site, including overseeing material testing.
A supervision consultant also keeps the project on schedule, tracks progress, and checks the bills submitted by the contractor, added the sources.
Implementing a major project in absence of a well qualified supervision consultant could result in the failure of the project, compromise the integrity and quality of the work/structure, said the sources.
However not confirmed yet, a reliable source said a file which was submitted by the Chief Engineer PWD to appoint a supervision consultant is stuck without reaching the Chairman of the Higher Tender Committee.
The source added the project's funding agency, the AIIB has also written to the Chief Secretary over non appointment of a supervision consultant even after the project has been implemented.
IMPHAL, Oct 16 : Days after news about cracks appearing on a newly built rigid pavement made it to page 1 of this paper, serious lapses in the implementation of the multi-crore project--MURDAMIP has surfaced.
The MURDAMIP, short for Manipur Urban Drainage and Asset Management Improvement Project, is an AIIB funded project being implemented at a cost of Rs 3547.23 crore. Under the project, major roads in Imphal city are being constructed as rigid pavements.
However, in a shocking detail that has surfaced, highly placed and reliable sources have said that the project is being implemented without a supervi- sion consultant--a serious lapse that could fail the entire project.
The cracks that appeared on the newly constructed rigid pavement on Palace Compound Road may be because of the absence of the supervision consultant, the sources have said.
While the appointment of a supervision consultant is highly required and mandatory, the President's Rule administration and its authorities haven't appointed one even months after the project began.
Before the project was implemented, the Governor's administration should have appointed an authority engineer or a supervision consultant, the sources said.
An authority engineer or a supervision engineer is a firm or professional expert/engineer who oversees major construction projects, like highways to ensure design specifications, safety standards, and quality requirements.
The construction of the rigid pavement on the Palace Compound Road is part of a larger project undertaken under the MURDAMIP, which is being implemented at a total cost of Rs 3547.23 crore.
The project is implemented following the EPC (Engineering Procurement and Construction) model.
While construction of rigid pavement is on in other roads in Imphal city, like on the Palace Compound stretch, no supervision consultant has been appointed to oversee them. This has raised concern about the quality of the work, said the sources.
Being implemented following the EPC model, the entire project is handled by a contractor/company which conducts the survey, prepare designs and makes estimates of the cost.
However, all these aspects of the project are to be overseen and approved by a supervision consultant before implementation, said the sources.
Meanwhile, the Public Works Department, which is the implementing agency of the project, however has no qualified engineer to be appointed as the supervision consultant, added the sources.
While the PWD lacks the qualified engineer, no firm has also been engaged as supervision consultant.
Instead, an in-house engineer of the department who is not qualified has been acting as the supervision consultant, potentially compromising the integrity of the project and quality of the rigid pavement, said the sources.
No officials of the PWD could be reached for comments.
Explaining the significance of appointing a well qualified supervision consultant, the sources said the Barak bridge and Makru bridge on the National Highway-37 (Imphal-Jiribam) were constructed overseen by a supervision consultant to ensure quality.
The Imphal Ring Road project is also being overseen by a supervision consultant, they added.
The sources further explained, a supervision consultant approves designs, and the quality assurance plans submitted by a contractor. It monitors and verifies the quality of materials and workmanship on-site, including overseeing material testing.
A supervision consultant also keeps the project on schedule, tracks progress, and checks the bills submitted by the contractor, added the sources.
Implementing a major project in absence of a well qualified supervision consultant could result in the failure of the project, compromise the integrity and quality of the work/structure, said the sources.
However not confirmed yet, a reliable source said a file which was submitted by the Chief Engineer PWD to appoint a supervision consultant is stuck without reaching the Chairman of the Higher Tender Committee.
The source added the project's funding agency, the AIIB has also written to the Chief Secretary over non appointment of a supervision consultant even after the project has been implemented.