Overview

• On June 17, NHAI barred MEIL from participating in new highway contracts after slope protection works failed on the Chengala–Neeleshwaram section of NH-66 in Kasaragod district
• Officials attributed the collapse to flawed design, insufficient slope protection works and a deficient drainage system
• The notice outlines a potential one-year debarment and a ₹9 crore monetary penalty under the project’s contractual terms
• The NH-66 stretch operates under a 15-year Hybrid Annuity Model that requires MEIL to fund both maintenance and reconstruction of the damaged slope protections
• An expert committee from CRRI, IIT-Palakkad and the Geological Survey of India has been appointed to inspect the site, assess construction quality and recommend remedial measures