Some of the construction delays were caused by nonavailability of the contractors, including lack of working facilities, mobilization of resources, and/or skilled and qualified staff. Also, some of the civil work packages were geographically spread out which made it difficult for the contractors to manage their resources, labor, and materials. In future project formulation, the size of contracts should be adjusted to the availability of contractors. Also, as a sector-wide issue, the capacity of the construction industry should be increased substantially. A concerted effort is necessary, not only from the government offices dealing with infrastructure but also the offices dealing with the construction industry, technical education, and human resource development. Fostering construction and maintenance capacity, especially in rural roads, could be considered in future Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (Prime Minister's Rural Roads Program) programs. Currently, there are some issues in routine maintenance contracts, such as fewer contractors participating in the bidding, or some contractors disappearing before the maintenance period is completed.
MFF - Rural Roads Sector II Investment Program (Subproject 1)