The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has served a show cause notice to Megha Engineering and Infrastructure Ltd, questioning why the firm should not be debarred from bidding for a year due to construction flaws that led to the collapse of a section of National Highway 66 in Kerala.
The incident, which occurred on 16 June at Cherkkala in Kasaragod district, involved the collapse of slope protection works along the Chengala鈥揘eeleshwaram section. According to NHAI, preliminary assessment points to inadequate slope protection, poor drainage design, and flawed construction practices as the likely causes. The agency has also proposed a monetary penalty of up to Rs 9 million.
The project was awarded under the Hybrid Annuity Model (HAM), under which the concessionaire is responsible for maintaining the stretch for 15 years. Megha Engineering is expected to reconstruct the damaged works at its own cost.
To further investigate the cause and recommend corrective action, NHAI has formed an expert committee comprising a senior scientist from the Central Road Research Institute (CRRI), a retired professor from IIT-Palakkad, and representatives from the Geological Survey of India (GSI). The panel will examine the design and construction of the affected stretch and suggest detailed remedial measures.
NHAI stated that it is committed to taking all necessary actions to ensure accountability and prevent such incidents in the future.
