Under the new schedule, projects costing between Rs 0.1 million (mn) and Rs 10 mn must be completed within three months, while those in the Rs 10 mn to Rs 100 mn band will have six months. Projects valued at Rs 100 mn to Rs 200 mn will have nine months, and projects of Rs 200 mn to Rs 500 mn will have 12 months. Contracts in the Rs 500 mn to Rs 1 billion (bn) range carry a 15-month deadline, those of Rs 1 bn to Rs 3 bn will have 18 months, and projects above Rs 3 bn are slated for 24 to 30 months.
A separate timetable for repairs has been specified, with timeframes ranging from two to 12 months. Repairs costing Rs 0.1 mn to Rs 10 mn must be finished in two months, repairs of Rs 10 mn to Rs 50 mn in five months, and repairs of Rs 50 mn to Rs 200 mn in six months. Repairs above Rs 200 mn will have a 12-month deadline to ensure timely restoration of existing assets.
The order also alters the tender evaluation process by removing requirements for contractors to submit details of the number of technical staff, their qualifications and the number or type of machinery at the technical stage, a change intended to make bidding more competitive and transparent. However, once work begins it will be mandatory to have all necessary machinery on site meeting standards set by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways and the Ministry of Rural Development database, with agencies required to provide equipment that complies with those standards.
PWD head AK Dwivedi explained that the staggered deadlines reflect rising construction costs, noting that the per?kilometre cost of a road has risen from about Rs 4.8 mn to about Rs 8 mn and that deadlines have therefore been linked to project cost to improve delivery. The department will monitor compliance and require formal approval for any extension to maintain quality and accountability.