shimla
In a major development, as many as 138 contractors in Himachal Pradesh are facing possible blacklisting after their work under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana was found unsatisfactory.
According to official sources, the Ministry of Rural Development conducted a centralized performance evaluation of 182 contractors involved in the first three phases of the scheme in the state. The findings revealed that only 44 contractors met the required quality and completion standards, while the remaining 138 were flagged for poor workmanship, delays, and non-compliance with guidelines.
The evaluation was carried out through a government portal that includes contractor-wise data, inspection reports, and records of deficiencies.
Strict Action Likely
Officials said that contractors with poor rankings could face restrictions or outright blacklisting, which would prevent them from securing projects in the upcoming fourth phase of PMGSY.
Vikramaditya Singh, the state’s Public Works Minister, has made it clear that no compromise on quality will be tolerated in future projects. He highlighted that the Centre has approved around ₹2,300 crore for constructing nearly 1,500 km of rural roads under PMGSY Phase IV.
New Conditions for Contractors
To ensure transparency and quality:
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A contractor will not be assigned more than 7 projects or ₹100 crore worth of work
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New contracts will be awarded only to those who have completed over 70% of previous work satisfactorily
Quality Issues in Previous Phases
Inspections in earlier phases revealed multiple shortcomings, including:
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Poor construction quality
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Delays in project completion
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Failure to meet technical standards
Repeated violations significantly impacted contractor rankings.
The move comes at a crucial time when Himachal Pradesh is still recovering from last year’s monsoon disaster, which exposed weaknesses in road infrastructure, including PMGSY roads and highway stretches.
Additionally, the state government is under pressure regarding pending payments to contractors and recently approved ₹500 crore to clear outstanding dues.
The crackdown aims to enforce accountability and ensure that only reliable contractors handle critical rural road projects in the hill state.
