The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has issued certain clarifications with regard to award and implementation of national highway projects and centrally sponsored road works on Engineering, Procurement and Construction mode.
In November last year, the MoRTH issued a circular concerning the model EPC document for two-lane national highway works in which it was stated that all national highway projects, projects under Special Accelerated Road Development Programme – North East and projects in Left Wing Extremism affected areas for widening to two-lane standards, with or without paved shoulders, as well as strengthening projects, new bypasses and standalone bridge and flyover projects would be awarded on EPC mode only.
As per clarifications issued through a circular dated 1st August, 2013, in continuation, all public funded national highway projects, and centrally sponsored road works costing more than ₹ 10 crore (civil construction cost) would be awarded on EPC mode. Centrally sponsored road works include projects sanctioned under schemes of inter-state connectivity, economic importance, LWE and SARDP – NE. The projects pertaining to construction of bypasses, bridges and flyovers taken up for implementation on standalone basis, irrespective of the cost, would be awarded on EPC mode. All other public funded national highway projects and centrally sponsored road works would continue to be implemented on item rate mode of contract. The maintenance works under ordinary repair, flood damage repair, special repair and periodic renewal and also works of original nature such as improvement in riding quality would continue to be implemented on item rate mode of contract.
The MoRTH circular providing the clarifications points out that works sanctioned/approved/tendered on item rate basis during 2012-13, prior to the issue of the circular in November 2012, would continue to be implemented on item rate mode of contract.
The state Public Works Departments implementing projects under the Central Road Fund are free to adopt the mode of delivery of their choice, the circular states, adding that revised estimates would not be entertained.
