India Plans Blacklist for Highway Developers Using Excessive Subcontracting

The Indian government wants roads and tunnels to be built safely and properly.

It says some highway companies pass their work through too many subcontractors.

Each middle company may keep part of the money, leaving less for the actual construction.

The government plans to use GST payment records to find these arrangements.

Companies that break the rules could be banned for two or three years and publicly named.

Officials also want to judge contractors and project-report consultants by their past performance.

Nitin Gadkari said some project reports are prepared without visiting the construction site, which can cause design problems.

India is also planning many tunnel projects and wants local companies to make the machines needed to build them.