Interrelationships of factors causing delays in the relocation of utilities

Abstract

Purpose – Relocation of utilities is a major source of delay in Indian infrastructure projects. This delay is particularly critical in road and bridge construction projects. The purpose of this paper is to identify the various factors and also the interrelationships between the factors which influence the delays in the relocation of utilities. Design/methodology/approach – Case studies were conducted on 11 road and bridge projects in India with varying levels of complexity and size. Factors causing relocation delays were identified using computer aided qualitative analysis methodology. Cognitive mapping technique was used to map the interrelationships between the factors and to identify the critical delay factors. Findings – Factors affecting delays were identified across two groups, namely, technical and organizational factors. The study offers insights into the kinds of interactions of factors that can lead to delays in a project. The critical factors causing delays were identified as slow response from utility agencies, difficulty in identification of underground utilities, lack of information on underground utilities and conflict between agencies. Research limitations/implications – The limitations of the study are that the interview respondents are not evenly distributed among the type of organizations which may have induced some bias in responses. The impact of the utility relocation delays on the overall project delay has to be detailed further. Practical implications – The interrelationships between factors has the potential to help the officials of highway department, contractors, utility agencies and others understand how various interactions/linkages of factors contributes to delays in utility relocations. Recommendations are provided for the practical use and to reduce the impact of delays. Originality/value – Utility relocation has received very little attention in the extant literature and this paper seeks to contribute to knowledge in this area by identifying the linkages between factors and the critical factors of utility relocation delays in India.

Analysis of causes of delay in Indian construction projects and mitigation measures

“…Land acquisition is found to be one of biggest roadblocks because of poor and unsystematic land records in India coupled with undervaluation and lengthy acquisition process (Development Management, 2017). Utility shifting is one of the critical causes of delay in Indian road and bridge construction projects (Vilventhan and Kalidindi, 2016). The gap in construction costs and stage payments can be attributed to the fact that in India, road construction projects are being largely implemented on engineering procurement and construction basis with lump sum milestone/stage payments.…”

External Stakeholder Management Strategies and Resources in Megaprojects: An Organizational Power Perspective

“…Delays due to utility relocation are also significant, often observed to be in the range of five to 52 months in a study of 11 infrastructure projects in India (Vilventhan & Kalidindi, 2018). The critical factors causing these delays are slow response from utility agencies, difficulty in identification of the nature and location of underground utilities often due to lack of information, as well as conflict between agencies (Vilventhan & Kalidindi, 2016). Thus, the construction of a new project in collaboration with other infrastructure services is a complex process that requires multiple organizations to collaborate (van Marrewijk, 2018).…”

4D BIM models for smart utility relocation management in urban infrastructure projects

“…The transportation infrastructure sector is facing inevitable delays during construction and development of projects, where utility relocations are identified as the major continuing cause for such delays (Ellis et al , 2009; Quiroga et al , 2011; Ignacio and El-Rayes, 2018). In India, several transportation projects have experienced delays ranging from 5 to 52 months because of utility relocation activities (Vilventhan and Kalidindi, 2015). The relocation of utilities refers to the shifting of existing utilities that are present under the right of way of road or the proposed construction from its existing position to a newer location.…”

“…Installation and relocation of utilities are regarded as a complex and time-demanding process. Research studies have addressed various issues involved in the relocation of utilities and their interrelating factors for delays (Vilventhan and Kalidindi, 2015). One of the major contributing factors for the delay is the lack of adequate information about the utilities that are being present in the proximity of the site (Quiroga et al , 2011).…”

“…Often project stakeholders find it extremely difficult to execute their work and remain individually responsible for delay in managing the utility interfaces with respect to the construction plans. Such delays because of relocation activities affect the entire project and result in schedule and cost overruns (Vilventhan and Kalidindi, 2015). Hence the use of a technology-driven smart solution is needed for the management of multiple utility data in a single environment and support management of efficient relocation in urban conditions.…”