Exploring The Factors Influencing Delays in Road and Building Projects in Sri Lanka

Abstract

The Sri Lankan road and building construction industry currently grapples with significant time overruns compared to the planned schedules. Project delays pose substantial challenges for contractors, consultants, and clients alike. This research aims to identify the key factors contributing to delays in the construction of buildings and roads. A thorough literature review revealed 48 primary causes of construction delays. A questionnaire survey was conducted, incorporating these 48 delay factors and categorizing them into four major groups: contractor related, client-related, consultant-related, and external factors. Responses were gathered from 160 professionals using the convenience sampling method and were subsequently analyzed using the Relative Importance Index (RII) for ranking. The results highlight several critical factors responsible for construction delays in Sri Lanka. These include delays in payment progression, financial difficulties and economic challenges faced by clients, lack of proper planning and scheduling, difficulties in project financing by contractors, mistakes and discrepancies in contracts, slow implementation of inspections and testing by consultants, and changes in government policies and leadership. Additionally, interference by political leaders from external parties emerged as a significant factor contributing to delays. The implications of these findings underscore the need for realigning project management strategies to mitigate delays in road and building construction projects in Sri Lanka. This paper not only identifies key factors but also offers recommendations to minimize the impact of delays on construction projects in the country. These insights are crucial for enhancing the efficiency of project management in the Sri Lankan construction industry.