Kasaragod/New Delhi: The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has prohibited Megha Engineering and Infrastructure Ltd (MEIL) from participating in future tenders for the construction of two segments of NH 66 in Kasaragod and Kannur. Additionally, NHAI is contemplating a fine of ₹9 crore due to the substandard construction of a slope protection wall along the 37-km stretch between Chengala and Nileshwar in Kasaragod.
The decision was made a day after a protection wall collapsed at Thekkil near Chengala. In order to widen the highway, MEIL had excavated a laterite hill, resulting in a steep exposed slope adjacent to the road. Generally, such slopes are stabilized with retaining walls and effective drainage systems to avert erosion. However, in this instance, residents reported that MEIL merely applied a thin layer of cement to secure the hill. The slope gave way on Monday following heavy rainfall.
“The incident was attributed to improper design, insufficient slope protection measures, and a deficient drainage system,” stated NHAI in a press release on Tuesday, June 17. It further noted that MEIL was barred for neglecting to ensure slope stability and drainage to alleviate such hazards.
Under its 15-year Hybrid Annuity Model (HAM) contract, MEIL was tasked with the maintenance of the road and its associated structures. It has now been instructed to rebuild the collapsed slope at its own expense. A show-cause notice has also been issued, questioning why the company should not be banned for one year and fined ₹9 crore.
An expert committee, which includes a senior scientist from the Central Road Research Institute (CRRI), a retired professor from IIT-Palakkad, and a geologist from the Geological Survey of India (GSI), has been established to examine the site and assess the highway’s design and construction. The committee will also propose remedial actions, as stated.
This marks the second instance of blacklisting by NHAI within a month. On May 22, it barred KNR Constructions Ltd, another firm based in Hyderabad, from all current and future projects after a section of road collapsed at Kooriyad in Malappuram, along the 55-km Ramanattukara-Kuttippuram stretch of the incident occurred on NH 66. The collapse has been attributed to KNR’s negligence in evaluating soil strength and enhancing ground conditions prior to the commencement of construction.
MEIL, which is concurrently constructing the 40-km Nileshwar–Taliparamba segment, was the second-largest purchaser of electoral bonds, contributing ₹966 crore to various political parties: ₹585 crore to the BJP, ₹195 crore to the then-governing Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) in Telangana, and ₹85 crore to the DMK.
Reports of cracks, cave-ins, and flooding have emerged along the Chengala-Taliparamba corridor, particularly in regions close to Taliparamba and within the Kasaragod district. Previously, on May 12, an 18-year-old MEIL worker, Mumtaj Mir from West Bengal, tragically lost his life at Mattalayi in Cheruvathur, while he was engaged in the installation of shuttering plates for a retaining wall. The hill, which had been vertically sliced, collapsed at its base, resulting in his burial. Additionally, two other workers, Mohan Thejar (18) and Munlal Laskar (55), also hailing from West Bengal, were ensnared waist-deep and suffered leg fractures.
