The two-day seminar on road and bridge construction, organized with the aim of better understanding the challenges, new technologies and the impact of EPC contracts in road construction, concluded on Sunday. Various technical sessions were organized on the second day before the conclusion. In this, new construction techniques and engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contracts were discussed in depth.

The session began with the statement of SK Nirmal, General Secretary, Indian Road Congress (IRC). In this, he gave a detailed introduction to EPC contracts. He explained how EPC contracts ensure discipline and timelines in the road construction sector. Along with this, SK Singh, Regional Officer, National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), Bhopal discussed the role of the customer in EPC contracts and preparation of schedule. It was explained how deadlines in contracts need to be adhered to and for this, prior planning is important.

In the afternoon session, the role of Approving Engineer (AE) in EPC contracts was discussed. The session was chaired by Dr. Mahesh Kumar, former Chairman of IRC and former Engineer-in-Chief, Haryana PWD. Along with him, IK Pandey, former Director General, Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) also participated in the session. Pandey shared his views on disputes and challenges arising in EPC contracts. The session also presented the problems faced in contracts from the contractors' point of view and their experiences.