Haryana cracks down on shoddy infrastructure: quality authority flags flaws, enforces accountability

Headed by retired IAS officer Rajeev Arora, Haryana’s former Additional Chief Secretary (Home), the QAA’s core mandate includes “setting technical norms, conducting rigorous audits and inspections, empanelling third-party agencies, and implementing sustainable practices across sectors including roads, buildings and irrigation”.

On March 17, the state government provided more powers to QAA, will be implemented in letter and spirit from April 25 onwards across Haryana.

The state government wrote to all administrative secretaries, heads of departments, Managing Directors/ Chief Administrators of all Boards and Corporations, all Deputy Commissioners and Registrars of all the Universities of Haryana to adhere to the norms set by the QAA pertaining to the engineering infrastructure in the State.

Through the QAA, the state government has set certain mandatory norms, including Engagement of DPR consultants for all greenfield road projects, all bridges/ flyovers/ ROBs/ RUBs, all building projects of Rs 5 crore and above and all road up-gradation projects of Rs. 25 crore and above. Third Party Inspection and Monitoring Agencies engaged through QAA also made mandatory for all projects of value Rs 5 crore and above.

“To ensure quality engineering works, we have also devised a mechanism with which the projects will be assessed on the basis of Quality Index Parameters as stipulated HQAin the Standard Operating Methods and Procedures. There are three categories of marks that shall be awarded while inspecting a project. It includes – above 90 (fully compliant and acceptable quality); 75-90 (needs improvement – partial compliance, corrective action required); and below 75 (unsatisfactory – non-compliance with the SOMPs; work not acceptable),” Arora said.

The state government has also authorised QAA that it will be “free to monitor/ inspector/ audit any project being executed by any central PSUs for and on behalf of the state government organisation that is funded by the state government or even if it is being executed and funded by with central support”. The state government departments have also been asked to obtain an “undertaking from the executing agencies to ensure that the project will be checked by any state government agency including the QAA”.

The PWD (B&R), which shall act as the nodal department for preparing the dynamic database and maintenance of bridges policy will do so in consultation with the QAA. Regarding high-rise buildings and poor quality infrastructure developed by private builders/ colonisers, Director General (Town and Country Planning department) “shall get a policy framed with the approval of the competent authority in consultation with the QAA.”

Regarding the staff/ manpower that QAA has, Arora mentioned that the government has approved attachment of officers of all the engineering and other departments with QAA.

On the basis of the audit reports submitted by the QAA to the CM last month, several new decisions were taken that include – mandatory display of QR codes on all project sites to facilitate social audit and transparency; QR codes to be linked to a digital document containing – DPR summary, technical specifications, name of contractor, engineer-in-charge and consultant, physical and financial progress updated monthly, and all QR pages to display date of last update and contact details for grievance reporting.