CAUSES OF DELAY IN INDIAN TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS

Abstract

A survey on time performance of different types of construction projects in western Maharashtra was co nducted to determine the causes of delay and their importance according to e ach of the project participants, i.e., the owner, consultant and the contractor. Sixty four causes of delay were identified during the res earch. It seems that the problem is common and nota ble as 72% of the total infrastructure projects reported by all the respond ents were delivered late, whereas only 28% were com pleted on time. Clients’ respondents indicated that 59% of the public projec ts they were involved in were delivered late. Consu ltants’ respondents reported that 62% of the projects they were involved in were completed late. Contractors’ respondents also shar e the same view and articulated that 77% of the projects they are invol ved in exceeded the preset duration. The top five icauses of construction delays in transportation infrastructure projects ar e mainly Land Acquisition, Environmental Impact of the project, financial closure, Change orders by the client, Poor site management asupervision by contractor .Respondent’s opinion about the contribution towards the delay is 50 % respondent feels that del ay in the construction in mainly due to the contrac tor. 40 % of respondent feel that client is mainly responsible for the delay in const ruction projects. And only 10 % of respondent feel that delay mainly occur due to consultant. It is evident that consultant as a medi ator has less responsibility in construction delays .