Repairs done at contractors’ expense under DLP
PANAJI
The Goa government has issued show cause notices to 29 contractors for substandard road works executed under the Public Works Department (PWD) within three years, with the highest 19 notices served in 2024.
Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, in his reply to a starred question, stated that the department observed defects in several road projects and issued notices to the concerned contractors.
Also holding the PWD portfolio, Sawant quickly clarified that all the identified defects were repaired under the Defect Liability Period (DLP) at the contractors’ own cost, without any financial burden on the State exchequer. “Show cause notices were issued to 29 contractors where apparent defects were noticed. These defects were repaired under DLP by the agencies at their own cost,” his reply stated.
The projects mentioned include road and other related works, such as hotmixing, in Panaji, Taleigao, Fatorda, Margao, Cuncolim and Pernem, among other places, from 2022 to 2024. In most cases, the roads showed signs of damage within a period ranging from 67 days to five years of being asphalted or repaired/widened, etc.
One of the defective works listed was the upgradation of the sewerage network in Panaji city for zones I, II, III, V, IX, and X. The road restoration work, from Ram Mandir to Dhanalaxmi Building in Bhatlem, showed signs of damage within 65 days in 2024. Another was the renovation and conservation of the heritage Ponte de Portugal bridge (near Vivanta Hotel), where the affected stretch from Vivanta to St Inez junction began to deteriorate within 455 days of completion in 2023.
The CM reiterated that in none of the 29 cases was any penalty imposed or additional payment made, as the repairs were completed by the agencies to the department’s satisfaction under DLP conditions.
In one specific case involving contractor Subhash Dessai, the government withdrew the show cause notice after confirming that the road damage was caused by trench excavation carried out by the Electricity Department. The contractor had submitted that the damage was not due to defective roadwork, and a report from a government-appointed consultancy corroborated this.
Vrindavan Engineers & Contractors, Ahadh Engineering, Alpha Tech, C A Ibrahim, Umrah Constructions, Souza Engineers, M/s M Sons Construction, M/s Abcon Engineering, M/s Ravalanth Construction, M/s Samarth Constructions, among others, were issued the notices.
