On NHAI, CPWD, and state PWD packages the hindrance register is the contemporaneous record. Its weight in a later determination or arbitration depends heavily on one column: whether the Authority Engineer or Engineer-in-Charge countersigned each entry at the time. A signed entry is very hard to dispute. An unsigned one is a contractor's claim about what happened.
What a countersignature establishes
- That the hindrance existed on the date recorded, as described.
- That the Authority knew. Awareness is often the contested point in notice arguments; a signed entry settles it.
- That the record is contemporaneous. A signature dated the week of the event proves the register was kept, not reconstructed.
- Often, the responsible agency. Where the AE signs an entry attributing the hindrance to the Authority, that attribution is close to an admission.
Why it does not happen
The AE is the Authority's appointee and is not eager to sign what amounts to evidence against the Authority. Site teams stop asking after the first refusal. The register goes to the office and the signature column stays blank for a year.
How to make it routine
- Put the register on the monthly meeting agenda. Present new entries as a standing item and request countersignature in the minutes.
- Request it in every notice letter. The letter that notifies a hindrance should ask for countersignature of the register entry by number.
- Record refusals. A Refused status with the date and the letter reference. Two years later, a pattern of documented refusals against a pattern of documented requests speaks for itself.
- Offer neutral wording. An AE may sign "hindrance noted" where they will not sign "hindrance attributable to Authority". A signature on the fact is worth more than an argument about the attribution.
- Photograph signed pages immediately. The physical register is one flood or one departing engineer away from loss.
The three states
| Status | Meaning | Action |
|---|---|---|
| Pending | Requested, no response | Follow up; raise at the next meeting |
| Signed (date) | Shared fact | Photograph the page; file against the entry |
| Refused (date) | Contested, but the request is recorded | Log the refusal and the reason given, if any |
What this means in practice
- Track countersignature per entry, with dates.
- Ask in every letter and every monthly meeting.
- Record refusals; they are evidence of the pattern.
- Sign on the fact if the attribution is contested.
DraftMyEOT tracks AE countersignature per hindrance as Pending, Signed, or Refused with the date, and the exported register shows the status honestly.
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This article is general information about how these contract mechanisms typically work. It is not legal advice, and it is not a substitute for review of your specific contract by a qualified professional.