An elevated corridor is being constructed to reduce traffic congestion in the capital of a particular state. You have been selected as project manager of this prestigious project on your professional competence and experience. The deadline is to complete the project in next two years by 20 June, 2021, since this project is to be inaugurated by the Chief Minister before the elections are announced in the second week of July 2021. While carrying out the surprise inspection by the inspecting team, a minor crack was noticed in one of the piers of the elevated corridor possibly due to poor material used. You immediately informed the chief engineer and stopped further work. It was assessed by you that minimum three piers of the elevated corridor have to be demolished and reconstructed. But this process will delay the project minimum by four to six months. But the chief engineer overruled the observation of inspecting team on the ground that it was a minor crack that will not in any way impact the strength and durability of the bridge. He ordered you to overlook the observation of the inspecting team and continue working with same speed and tempo. He informed you that the minister does not want any delay as he wants the chief Minister to inaugurate the elevated corridor before the elections are declared. Also informed you that the contractor is far relative of the minister and he wants him to finish the project. He also gave you hint that your further promotion as additional chief engineer is under consideration with the ministry. However, you strongly felt that the minor crack in the pier of the elevated corridor will adversely affect the health and life of the bridge and therefore it will be very dangerous not to repair the elevated corridor.1) Under the given conditions, what are the options available to you as a project manager?2) What are the ethical dilemmas being faced by the project manager?3) What are the professional challenges likely to be faced by the project manager and his response to overcome such challenges?4) What can be the consequences of overlooking the observation raised by the inspecting team?
What the examiner wants
A cracked pier needs reconstruction and delay, but your chief engineer wants it ignored for a pre-election inauguration. Decide.
Demand-wise check
- 1(a) Options: ignore the crack; quietly patch; report in writing and insist on reconstruction; seek independent expert review≈50 words
- 2(b) Dilemmas: public safety vs political pressure; career vs integrity; loyalty to superiors vs duty to citizens≈50 words
- 3(c) Challenges: hostility, transfer, delay blame. Response: written record, independent test, escalate, propose faster safe options, act against substandard supply≈50 words
- 4(d) Consequences of overlooking: collapse, deaths, legal liability, loss of trust≈50 words
Open in about 30 words and close in about 30.
Answer plan
Where marks usually go
- Allowing a patch-up to meet the deadline
- Skipping sub-part (d)
Draw this
- Risk table: option | safety risk | career risk
Value addition
- ExampleThe Majerhat bridge collapse (Kolkata, 2018) and Morbi bridge collapse (Gujarat, 2022, 135 deaths) followed poor maintenance and oversight.Inquiry reports / media
- CodeIRC and BIS codes require load testing and rejection of structures with structural cracks beyond limits.Indian Roads Congress
Mapped topper copies
Reviewed public-source references related to this PYQ. Same-syllabus references are labelled separately.
- Shakti Dubey · AIR 1 · Page 31 ↗Same syllabus reference
- Aakash Garg · AIR 5 · Page 39 ↗Same syllabus reference
- Shakti Dubey · AIR 1 · Page 33 ↗Same syllabus reference
- Aakash Garg · AIR 5 · Page 31 ↗Same syllabus reference
Links open original public sources. MainsBuddy does not host these answer sheets.
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