To ensure quality in construction of roads, bridges and other government buildings, the Himachal government is evolving a mechanism for third party inspection by establishing an independent quality check squad in the Chief Minister’s Office.

This was stated by Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur while presiding over the meeting regarding implementation of GST and its impact in the Public Works Department on the works contract here on Wednesday.

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The state government would take serious note of any delay in completion of projects or compromising quality, he said, adding that the government would not hesitate in taking action against the erring contractors or executing agencies.

Thakur said that the government was also contemplating to start a scheme to provide incentives to the executing agencies completing the projects ahead of stipulated time period.

He said that this would not only bring competitiveness amongst the contractors but also help in checking cost escalation in the projects.

Automation of Public Works Department would be taken in a big way so that maximum use of information technology could be ensured for monitoring progress in ongoing projects, he stated.

He said that for ensuring quality construction material and also providing relief to the contractors, the government has decided that except cement, the material approved would be arranged themselves by the contractors by the market and if any material required by the contractors, the same would be issued on proportionate market rates to be derived on the basis of agreement rates and no input tax credits etc. would be given to the contractors on the said material issued from the store.

Thakur said that in order to ensure minimum damage to environment by optimum use of mucked material extracted from the site, the government has authorized the contractors to use the material for construction purpose as per the satisfaction of the engineer in-charge.

He said that the contractors would be allowed to use the crushers to crush the mucked extracted on the site of work for captive use on the awarded work.

Concerned about the various issues of the contractors in post GST era, he said that a committee would be constituted to look into the matter and submit its report at the earliest.