An Assessment of the Factors Causing Delays on Residential Construction Projects in Pune

Residential building construction projects in Pune construction industry are experiencing a wide spread of delays. The purpose of this study was to assess the factors causing delays and their effects on building construction projects in Pune. Thirty Two (32) project delay attributes were identified through detailed literature review. Structured interviews and questionnaire survey were conducted across stakeholders. This research categorized the causes of delay under three main groups of consultant related, contractor related and client related. The RII technique for all delay factors and group of categories was computed so as to rank the factors. The most significant factors of construction delays were identified as (1) Shortage of materials, (2) Obtaining permit from municipality, (3) Late deliveries of materials, (4) Legal disputes, (5) Shortage of skilled labors. The study concluded that contractor related category had the highest impact (RII 0.96), followed by consultant related (RII = 0.94), then client related (RII = 0.93). Identification of the causes of potential delay factors that are likely to affect the timely delivery of projects can help to avoid extra costs through claims and disputes that arise among parties when delays are experienced.