The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has issued a show-cause notice to Megha Krishna Reddy, Managing Director of Megha Engineering Company, due to significant quality issues in the construction of a six-lane road from Chengala to Nileswaram on NH-17 in Kerala. The NHAI’s inspection revealed that the project did not comply with Indian Road Congress (IRC) standards, resulting in multiple deficiencies.
On October 29, 2022, a deck slab of the Vehicular Underpass (VUP) at Km.72+297 (LHS) collapsed, prompting the formation of a committee to investigate the incident. The investigation found severe lapses in both design and construction, leading to the suspension of the project in-charge and the bridge/structural engineer, who are now under surveillance. As a result, the contractor was fined Rs 30 lakh, and an independent engineer faced a Rs 5 lakh fine.
ALSO READ: NHAI issues show-cause notice to Megha Engineering MD Krishna Reddy over construction defects
The NHAI instructed the contractor to resume work at their own expense and adhere strictly to IRC and Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MORTH) guidelines to avoid further incidents. However, on May 8, 2024, another accident occurred when girders, along with a deck slab, slipped on a 20-meter bridge at Km.78+971. The incident, which attracted widespread media coverage, further damaged the NHAI’s reputation and raised public concerns.
REDA MORE: Megha Engineering faces scrutiny after Sunkishala retaining wall collapse at Nagarjuna Sagar
Despite these setbacks, the contractor’s headquarters and design teams have failed to take appropriate corrective action. Both accidents have been attributed to negligence in the project’s design and execution. The NHAI has now demanded that Megha Krishna Reddy explain why action should not be taken under Rule 1.3(ii) of the NHAI policy, and why a penalty ranging from Rs 50 lakh to Rs 1 crore should not be imposed. Megha Krishna Reddy has 15 days to respond to the notice, failing which the NHAI has warned of possible legal action.