Inferior road works: Highways pulled up over failure to furnish action taken reports

MADURAI: Coming down heavily on the Highways and Minor Ports Department for failing to furnish details of disciplinary action taken against officials over the last five years, the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court observed that the “sorry state of affairs” was still continuing even after a change of government.

“Though the administrations have changed, it appears that the officers are protecting the wrongdoers by not initiating necessary action and by ensuring that the Government Order in GO.Ms.No.323, Highways and Minor Ports (HK.3) Department, dated December 24, 2010, is not made available on the website,” said Justice B Pugalendhi.

The judge said the Government Order was issued with the intention of ensuring the quality of road works by fixing responsibility on the officials concerned. However, it appeared that the order was not being implemented by fixing responsibility on first-, second- and third-level officers, the Court observed.

The petitioner, a Quality Control Assistant Engineer (Highways) in the Ramanathapuram Division, was held responsible by the department for the substandard quality of roads laid in six stretches covering 198.135 km of State Highways and 360.272 km of major district roads in Sivaganga district.

Relying on portions of the Government Order, the petitioner contended that responsibility for lapses in road works was also fixed on field-level officers at the first level, Quality Control officers at the second level and supervising officers at the third level. He alleged that he had been selectively targeted by the department.

The Court had sought details of disciplinary action taken against the three levels of officers over the past five years and in connection with the road works for which the petitioner had been charged. However, the status report filed by the department did not meet the clarifications sought by the Court, and vague replies had been furnished on the action taken against the officials.

“As a citizen, this Court is also travelling on highway roads, including rural roads. Most of the roads are not withstanding even for two years. This Court has also dealt with several cases on the allotment of road works by forming syndicates. Several thousands of crores have been spent for laying roads. However, there is no proper mechanism to ensure the quality of execution of works,” Justice Pugalendhi observed.

The Court directed the authorities to clarify how the department ensures the quality of road works in accordance with tender documents; the number of disciplinary actions taken against erring first-, second- and third-level officers in the past five years; the nature and details of action taken against such officers in the present case; the reasons for not uploading GO.Ms.No.323 on the Government portal; and whether the monitoring mechanism under the order is still being followed. The department has also been asked to furnish copies of any subsequent Government orders or instructions relating to the mechanism.

The case has been posted to September 28, 2026, for the report.