By TIOL News Service

NEW DELHI, DEC 07, 2024: TO enhance accountability and assess the quality of construction and maintenance of National Highways, NHAI has introduced a comprehensive rating system for performance assessment of the Concessionaires engaged in the National Highway development and maintenance.

A detailed methodology for rating the concessioners has been formulated by NHAI under which concessioners will be evaluated every six months and ratings will be uploaded on NHAI website and its social media handles.

The Assessment Methodology will be based on Pavement Condition Index (PCI) as well as Defect rectification compliance on NHAI One App where over 95 defects can be notified and monitored digitally shall also form a part of rating assessment. Eighty Percent weightage would be given to PCI and Twenty percent weightage would be given to compliance on NHAI One App.

PCI, a scientific metric ranging from 0 to 100, reflecting pavement conditions from 'Excellent' to 'Failed', as per IRC 82:2023 guidelines. PCI will be calculated based on six functional parameters that include roughness, potholes, cracking, Ravelling, Rut Depth and Patchwork. The data for PCI value will be calculated using the latest technology such as Laser Crack Measurement Systems through Network Survey Vehicles (NSV) and will be surveyed and processed through centrally deployed agencies by NHAI under supervision of a dedicated team.

As per the assessed 'Concessionaire Rating Value', Concessionaires will be divided under different categories. Contractors scoring less than 70 out of 100 rating will be declared 'non-performers', thus becoming ineligible to secure new National Highway projects till improvement in its rating.

The assessment of the concessionaires will be done at two levels, first at individual project level and second at Concessionaire level. The rating value at project level as well as combined concessionaire rating value would be reviewed every 6 months with every cycle of NSV survey. Data related to defects rectification compliance on NHAI One App will also be used for calculating rating value.

By establishing a transparent framework for concessionaire evaluation, NHAI aims to set new benchmarks in quality construction and management of National Highways and provide a safer, smoother, and seamless travel experience to National Highway users.