Journal Press India^®

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This study analyses the perceptions of owners, contractors, and consultants towards delays in highway projects in the hilly terrains Himalayan region. The research aims to uncover the nuanced views of these key stakeholders, which have been underexplored in existing literature, in light of the region’s unique geographical challenges. The study employed a mixed-methods approach, utilising NVivo 14 for qualitative data analysis and Python for quantitative analysis, specifically the Kruskal-Walli’s test, to examine the perception gap concerning 45 items on a five-point Likert scale questionnaire. The findings reveal that most items show overall agreement in perceptions, while 13 items exhibit significant perception gaps, suggesting the need for tailored management strategies to mitigate delay factors specific to hilly regions. This research contributes to the body of knowledge by providing a context-specific understanding of project delays, which is crucial for developing effective risk management practices in the construction industry.

Keywords

Highway project delays; Stakeholder perceptions; Hilly terrain construction; Himalayan infrastructure; Road projects

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