The NHAI should avoid challenging arbitral awards against it "mechanically and casually" as it derails infrastructural projects and raises the amount to be paid to contractors. "There is a need for the NHAI not to challenge arbitral awards mechanically and casually, specially where objections to the award are not strong or substantial," said Justice Singh, adding "challenges being raised to awards in this manner also results in derailment of infrastructural projects". The court's order came on two separate petitions, one by the NHAI and other by contractor Gammon India Ltd, both challenging parts of the same arbitral awards passed against them. Some of the claims made by the contractor were rejected by the engineer-in-charge after which the matter was taken to the Arbitral Tribunal. The large number of NHAI disputes pending before the court is evidence of the fact that most awards are challenged, it said.

Source: dna July 21, 2019 11:48 UTC