The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has debarred Theme Engineering Services and Ishita Info Solutions for a period of two years from participating in future bids of NHAI or its associate bodies and other central government road-sector projects.

This is on account of serious lapses in discharge of their contractual obligations of the independent engineer, including failure to exercise the required degree of professional diligence and effective supervision and quality surveillance in relation to pavement, embankment or slope protection, drainage and associated safety or maintenance assets, it said in a notification.

“The aforesaid debarment shall be without prejudice to the primary contractual responsibility of the concessionaire for execution, construction quality, maintenance and rectification of the project highway and shall be without prejudice to any other contractual, financial or legal remedy available to NHAI under the consultancy agreement,” it said.

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NHAI further instructed that the consultant shall continue to comply with all lawful directions issued by NHAI in relation to the consultancy agreement, including preservation and handling of project records and completion of any pending contractual obligations, to the extent applicable.