NisargDesai's Idea / Prospect

The Foundations Beneath the Concrete

Civil engineering is the invisible framework upon which society stands — roads, bridges, buildings, and water systems all begin with the calculations, designs, and integrity of civil engineers. But while concrete, steel, and stone can be measured, the ethical strength of the professionals behind the project is often less visible — and far more critical.

In recent years, India has seen several public infrastructure failures, cost overruns, and delays. Dig deeper, and a disturbing pattern emerges: compromised engineering ethics. This article explores how civil engineering ethics are not merely academic ideals, but the very foundation upon which public trust, safety, and progress depend.

Core Ethics in Civil Engineering

Professional ethics in civil engineering are grounded in three pillars:

1. Public Safety Above All

2. Integrity in Design, Materials, and Execution

3. Responsibility Toward Environment and Future Generations

These aren’t just principles—they are legal, social, and professional obligations that every engineer assumes once they step into the field.

What Happens When Ethics Are Compromised Collapse of Structures, Collapse of Trust

Case: In 2022, a bridge in Gujarat collapsed just days after being renovated. Investigations revealed that the renovation firm lacked structural engineering expertise, and the safety inspections were signed off without proper checks.

Ethical Breach: Certification without due diligence, failure to warn stakeholders, disregard for safety norms.

Use of Substandard Materials

Civil engineers involved in procurement sometimes approve low-quality cement, steel, or aggregates in exchange for bribes or under pressure from contractors.

Example: A mid-size dam project in Maharashtra was found leaking within a year of commissioning — core samples revealed poor-grade concrete used to cut costs.

Ethical Breach: Misrepresentation, negligence, endangerment of public resources.

Tender Manipulation & Favoritism

It is increasingly common for tender specifications to be drafted in a way that favors a specific contractor or vendor — often due to internal collusion.

Example: An urban flyover project was delayed by 3 years due to legal disputes over irregularities in awarding tenders.

Ethical Breach: Conflict of interest, corruption, anti-competitive practices.

Forgery in Progress Reports

Project status reports are sometimes forged to claim stage payments without real progress on the ground, especially in government-funded rural projects.

Impact: Delayed roads, drainage systems, or schools in underserved areas — which exist only on paper.

Ethical Breach: Fraud, dereliction of duty, systemic dishonesty.

Wider Consequences of Ethical Failures

• Human Tragedies: Infrastructure collapse can directly cause injuries or fatalities.

• Economic Drain: Rework, litigation, and emergency mitigation inflate costs and delay development.

• Environmental Damage: Illegal dumping, deforestation, or over-extraction of materials often stems from unethical decision-making.

• Public Distrust: Citizens lose faith in engineering institutions, contractors, and government schemes.

• Global Reputation Hit: International investors hesitate to fund projects plagued with poor ethical records.

Why Ethics Are More Critical Than Ever in 2025

• Increased Project Complexity: Smart cities, metros, high-speed rail — all require ethical engineers who can balance technology, safety, and public welfare.

• PPP Model Expansion: With private players entering public infrastructure, transparency and ethical checks are essential to avoid profit-driven shortcuts.

• Climate Crisis: Ethical decisions are now environmental decisions — engineers play a major role in ensuring sustainability.

• Digital Oversight: With drone audits, satellite imagery, and real-time reporting, unethical practices are more likely to be exposed.

Solutions: Building Ethics Into the Blueprint Mandatory Ethics Curriculum

• Ethics should be taught as core engineering coursework, with case studies of past failures and disasters.

Independent Quality Audits

• Third-party audits should be mandatory at key project stages — not just at completion.

Ethics Certification for Practicing Engineers

• Engineers should be required to renew their license with mandatory ethics training every 3–5 years.

Protection for Whistleblowers

• Civil engineers who report corruption must be given legal protection and anonymity.

Transparent Procurement Portals

• E-tendering platforms with algorithmic review and open public access can reduce scope for manipulation.

A Call to the Young Civil Engineers

Your role is more than just to design and construct — it is to serve society with honesty and foresight. The bridge you draw on CAD is not just a structure — it will carry mothers, workers, and schoolchildren. The foundation you calculate could hold a hospital or a school. You are not just shaping concrete — you are shaping lives.

The Future Demands Ethical Foundations

Civil engineering is one of the oldest and most noble professions — but only when its ethics are as strong as the structures it builds. As India scales up infrastructure, it must also scale up its ethical vigilance. Because without integrity, even the grandest projects are doomed to fall — in spirit, if not in structure.

Self-Employment Opportunities for Small-Town Civil Engineers (2025 Edition)

1. Structural Design Consultancy

• What It Is: Offering structural analysis and design services for residential and small commercial buildings.

• Skills Needed: STAAD Pro, AutoCAD/Revit, knowledge of IS Codes, soil mechanics

• Resources Required: A computer with licensed software, basic printer/scanner, professional license (if required)

• Initial Budget: ₹1.5 – ₹2.5 Lakhs

• Market Demand: Growing in Tier 2 and Tier 3 towns due to private home construction and local real estate.

• Feasibility: High—can be started from home; no large team needed initially

• Use Cases: Independent houses, small apartments, shops, town planning projects

• Business Tips: Network with local contractors, panchayats, and architects

2. Land Surveying with Drones and GIS

• What It Is: Providing topographic and layout surveys using drone technology and GIS mapping

• Skills Needed: Drone piloting certification, GIS software (QGIS/ArcGIS), basic mapping knowledge

• Resources Required: Survey-grade drone (DJI Phantom/RTK), GIS software, laptop

• Initial Budget: ₹3 – ₹5 Lakhs (includes drone, licensing, training)

• Market Demand: Landowners, real estate developers, municipal mapping projects

• Feasibility: Moderate—requires some initial training and permissions

• Use Cases: Land division, layout approvals, real estate plotting, road development

• Business Tips: Get DGCA drone certification and work under an experienced mapper initially

3. Rainwater Harvesting and Groundwater Recharge Solutions

• What It Is: Designing and installing rainwater harvesting systems for homes, schools, and colonies

• Skills Needed: Plumbing design, basic hydrology, knowledge of water act and bylaws

• Resources Required: Simple plumbing tools, rainwater filters, piping systems

• Initial Budget: ₹50,000 – ₹1.5 Lakhs

• Market Demand: High in water-scarce regions, government building mandates, NGOs

• Feasibility: High—low investment and awareness-driven demand

• Use Cases: Schools, residential complexes, panchayat buildings

• Business Tips: Get IGBC/green certification and partner with local plumbers

4. Precast Concrete Elements Manufacturing

• What It Is: Manufacturing pre-made concrete items like fencing poles, septic tanks, rings, pavers

• Skills Needed: Knowledge of concrete mix design, casting, curing, and safety

• Resources Required: Molds, small mixing unit, water tank, open space (1000+ sqft)

• Initial Budget: ₹5 – ₹8 Lakhs

• Market Demand: Steady in growing towns, especially for local construction

• Feasibility: High—suitable for small-town demand; labor-intensive but profitable

• Use Cases: Roads, housing, landscaping, public works

• Business Tips: Supply to local contractors, municipal offices, and farms

5. Construction Material Testing Laboratory

• What It Is: Providing testing for soil, concrete, bricks, and steel as per IS codes

• Skills Needed: IS code compliance, material properties, lab equipment handling

• Resources Required: Compression machine, sieves, slump cones, cube molds, space (250–500 sqft)

• Initial Budget: ₹5 – ₹10 Lakhs (could start basic under ₹5 Lakhs)

• Market Demand: Builders, government projects, NGOs, quality auditing firms

• Feasibility: Medium—regulatory approval needed but offers consistent income

• Use Cases: Real estate quality control, road projects, school buildings

• Business Tips: Approach local PWD, contractors, and developers for tie-ups

6. Waterproofing and Soil Stabilization Contractor

• What It Is: Offering services like chemical waterproofing, soil hardening, anti-termite treatment

• Skills Needed: On-site application, chemistry of materials, vendor networking

• Resources Required: Spray tools, safety gear, chemicals

• Initial Budget: ₹1 – ₹3 Lakhs

• Market Demand: New and old constructions, especially in monsoon-prone areas

• Feasibility: Very high—skills are niche, margins are strong

• Use Cases: Basement buildings, tanking structures, wet areas of homes

• Business Tips: Learn from a senior contractor first, then scale independently

7. Road Repair and Maintenance Micro-Contractor

• What It Is: Taking up small-scale road patchwork, paver-block laying, or footpath repair

• Skills Needed: Road construction techniques, estimation, contractor licensing

• Resources Required: Roller/rammers (rentable), tools, labor team

• Initial Budget: ₹2 – ₹4 Lakhs

• Market Demand: Panchayats, municipal bodies, private gated communities

• Feasibility: Moderate—requires relationship building with civic authorities

• Use Cases: Rural PMGSY roads, school compounds, approach roads

• Business Tips: Bid on e-tenders; start as a subcontractor

8. Freelance Quantity Surveying and Estimation Services

• What It Is: Preparing BOQs, costing, budgeting for small projects

• Skills Needed: Costing software (CANDY, Excel, Buildsoft), IS codes

• Resources Required: Laptop, software licenses, printer

• Initial Budget: ₹50,000 – ₹1 Lakh

• Market Demand: Architects, builders, small contractors

• Feasibility: High—minimal capital and remote work friendly

• Use Cases: Villas, low-rise apartments, interior renovations

• Business Tips: Market on LinkedIn, Justdial, UrbanClap (now Urban Company)

Summary Table

Opportunity	Budget Range (₹)	Market Demand	Feasibility	Learning Curve
Structural Design Consultancy	1.5–2.5 Lakhs	Medium–High	High	Moderate
Drone Surveying	3–5 Lakhs	Growing	Moderate	High
Rainwater Harvesting	0.5–1.5 Lakhs	High	High	Low–Moderate
Precast Manufacturing	5–8 Lakhs	Stable	High	Moderate
Testing Laboratory	5–10 Lakhs	Steady	Medium	High
Waterproofing Services	1–3 Lakhs	Niche–Growing	Very High	Low–Moderate
Road Maintenance	2–4 Lakhs	Local Government	Moderate	Moderate
Quantity Surveying (Freelance)	0.5–1 Lakh	Digital–Flexible	Very High	Low

 

Introduction: An Invisible Leak in the System

In a country where infrastructure and industrial development remain central to progress, the role of mechanical engineers in public and private sector projects is crucial. However, beneath the surface of innovation and execution lies a web of vulnerabilities. Mechanical engineering projects — from factory setups to large-scale government tenders — are increasingly at risk of corruption.

This article explores how these technical projects become gateways for unethical practices and highlights specific stages where mechanical engineers, if not monitored, may manipulate processes for personal or institutional gain.

1. Inflated Procurement: When Machines Become Money Mines

Procurement — the heart of every mechanical project — often becomes a tool for corruption. Engineers responsible for defining technical specifications may deliberately list oversized, overpriced, or unnecessary equipment.

Case Insight: A municipal water treatment project in Madhya Pradesh reportedly included motors 25% higher in capacity than required, allegedly to inflate procurement costs and secure vendor kickbacks.

Common Tactics:

• Specifying only one brand/model in tenders

• Falsifying technical justifications

• Receiving bribes or “commissions” from vendors

2. Fabrication Fraud: Cutting Corners Behind the Welding Curtain

Fabrication contracts involve high-value metalwork, piping, and structural manufacturing — areas ripe for malpractice. Welders, contractors, and site engineers may collude to skip steps or use lower-grade materials while billing for full specs.

Example: In an industrial estate project in Gujarat, several load-bearing frames collapsed due to substandard welding, later found to have bypassed non-destructive testing (NDT) stages entirely.

Red Flags:

• Unrecorded or forged test reports

• Reduced metal thickness

• Fake or unchecked inspection tags

3. Maintenance Contracts: Profits in the Name of Prevention

Mechanical systems like HVAC, boilers, and conveyor systems require routine maintenance. This ongoing service often becomes a grey area of exploitation.

Observation: An audit of a public sector manufacturing unit revealed payments made for routine bearing replacements — with the same bearings still intact.

Corruption Modes:

• False maintenance logs

• Inflated spares billing

• Recycling old parts as new

4. Data Manipulation in Energy Efficiency Projects

With rising energy costs and green mandates, mechanical engineers lead many retrofitting and energy audit projects. But these too can be gamed.

Example: In Maharashtra, a factory claimed a 30% reduction in energy consumption via motor replacements. An RTI probe revealed no such replacements had occurred — only old labels were replaced.

Corrupt Practices:

• Falsified energy reports

• Misleading ROI calculations

• Claiming subsidies without actual work

5. Quality Assurance: When Engineers Approve the Unacceptable

Testing and quality assurance (QA/QC) phases offer engineers authority to approve or reject components. This gatekeeping role is vulnerable to misuse.

Incident: A pressure vessel in an Odisha plant was certified fit without a hydro test — later bursting during trial, injuring workers.

Typical Malpractices:

• Accepting bribes to overlook defects

• Faking calibration or stress test reports

• Accepting expired or reused parts

6. Tender Bias and Inside Deals

Public tenders and contract bids are increasingly digitized, yet many engineers still influence the process by setting biased eligibility criteria.

Real-world Note: A PSU tender required an obscure ISO certification only one vendor possessed — a classic move to eliminate competition.

Mechanisms of Corruption:

• Pre-qualifying specific vendors

• Leaking technical bid details

• Colluding with procurement officials

7. Inventory Manipulation and Spare Part Theft

Engineers managing warehouses or project inventories sometimes misuse their control for personal profit.

Risks Include:

• Procuring unused spares to resell outside

• Billing for items never installed

• Creating false shortage to justify reorders

8. Lax Compliance and Safety Audits

Ensuring safety and regulatory compliance is often the last step — and often compromised. Engineers signing off on faulty systems or misreporting safety metrics can put entire plants and workers at risk.

Alarming Cases:

• Ventilation issues in textile mills being passed despite high CO2 levels

• Safety audit reports reused from previous years

Why This Matters: Beyond Financial Loss ?

Corruption in mechanical engineering is not just about embezzlement. It directly affects:

• Public safety

• System efficiency

• National economic loss

• Reputation of the profession

A 2022 report by Transparency International India found that infrastructure-related corruption accounted for 32% of public complaints across technical domains, with mechanical project mismanagement topping the list after civil engineering.

What Needs to Change ?

• Institutional Checks

  • Mandate third-party validation for all testing

  • Public digital procurement platforms with transparent evaluation

• Engineering Ethics Reform

  • Stronger incorporation of ethics in mechanical engineering curricula

  • Licensing penalties for proven malpractice

• Media and Public Oversight

  • Investigative journalism in infrastructure sectors

  • Use of RTI to access procurement and safety data

Conclusion: Holding the Spanner to Account

Mechanical engineering has been the silent backbone of India’s industrial journey. But silence should not mean invisibility. To ensure accountability and safety, stakeholders — from policy makers to educators and engineers themselves — must recognize and plug these corruption leaks.

Exposing and understanding these vulnerabilities is not a witch-hunt — it's an essential step toward restoring integrity in the sector.