Amendment by MoRTH to Guidelines for Material Use and Value Engineering in National Highway Projects

The Ministry of Road Transport & Highways (MoRTH), vide circular dated September 20, 2024, bearing reference number No. RW/NH-34049/01/2020-S&R (P&B), issued guidelines to enhance the efficiency and sustainability of National Highway projects through the adoption of new and alternative materials and technologies. Building on prior directives, including those outlined in Ministry’s letter bearing reference no. RW/NH-33044/18/2020-S&R (P&B), dated December 14, 2020, and subsequent communications, these circular aims to clarify provisions while ensuring adherence to existing contracts. Its primary objective is to reduce construction costs, promote sustainable development, and rigorously assess value engineering practices, thereby reinforcing the commitment to innovative solutions in the construction of national highways.

The guidelines mandate value engineering to be a designated task in the Terms of Reference (ToR) for consultants engaged in feasibility studies and detailed engineering projects, mandating consultants to conduct site reconnaissance surveys to identify project-specific value engineering aspects, which must be documented in the Inception Report.

Earlier, the approval of value-engineered designs was less formalized. The current requirement mandates Independent Engineers (IE) or Authorised Engineers (AE) to review and approve these designs within a specified timeframe, ensuring compliance with Indian Roads Congress (IRC), MoRTH, American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO), American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM), Euro Code, and British Codes.

The current guidelines mandate that contractors must establish formal agreements with technology providers for proprietary products, such as Reinforced Soil Walls and Geosynthetics, etc. These agreements must include specific provisions for the technology provider’s involvement during execution, ensuring they deploy qualified personnel for material testing, design certification, and quality control throughout the construction process.

The provisions of this circular will apply to new projects for which bids are received on or after November 1, 2024, and instructions from prior directives will govern projects with bids received between February 22, 2023, and October 31, 2024.