Govt to continue with mandatory training of highway DPR consultants

The Indian Academy of Highway Engineers (IAHE) successfully conducted the first training programme for consultants during 5-10 September.

It has been decided that these programmes would continue in future as part of exercise to enrich personnel of the private sector who will be responsible development of sustainable road projects.

A ministry of road transport and highways statement said that DPR consultants will not only have to undergo mandatory training programme but also have to demonstrate the training undertaken by its key personnel in their Curriculum Vitae (CV) as part of their technical qualifications.

The course has been designed to cover technical and non-technical aspects of DPR preparation. In the programme, various challenges and issues of concerns such as competency and extent of involvement of key personnel, finalization of alignment, accuracy of survey data and design, proper preparation of the schedules, preconstruction activities and various statuary clearances would be deliberated.

The training would also focus on use of new / alternate material & technology and use of PM Gati Shakti Integrated Master Plan for deciding the alignment etc. The programme is aimed to improve the overall quality of DPRs in development of highways so that safe, quality resilient and sustainable highways are created, the MoRTH statement said.

Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari has given emphasis on development of road infrastructure especially National Highways in the country. He has emphasized time and again that Capacity building both in government and private sector is imperative for sustainable development of road infrastructure for which instructions have been issued from time to time by MoRTH.

In January this year, the ministry had addressed the matter of capacity building process of technical professionals of Consultants, Contractors, Independent Engineers (IEs) and Authority Engineers (AEs).

“In order to ensure the capacity building and improvement in quality of work done by personnel of Consultants, Contractors, IEs and AES in highways construction, the technical knowledge of personnel employed with private firms needs to be regularly updated. However, capacity building / upgradation in private sector is generally not given much importance. As such, to enrich personnel from private sector MoRTH in August 2022 decided that the personnel engaged by consultancy firms for preparation of DPRs have to undergo a mandatory training course on “Preparation of Feasibility Study and DPR for Highway Projects,” the ministry statement said.

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