Exploring the Impacts of Covid-19 Pandemic on Risks Faced by Infrastructure Projects in Pakistan

Abstract

The current COVID-19 pandemic is making a huge impact on society. Most projects are either abandoned or halted due to this pandemic, especially in developing countries. We have conducted this study to evaluate the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on construction projects by using the concept of rework projects. 'Rework project' is a class of projects that are initiated to achieve the intended objectives in the second attempt after failing to achieve the goals in the first attempt. People who were involved in the selected projects in different capacities were interviewed and analysis of the responses was performed. The unique challenges/risks such as time urgency, overburdened resources, and mobilization of contractors, inappropriate documentation gaps, and technological changes were highly significant in rework projects. By having clear recognition to these highly significant risks, organizations will be well equipped in devising strategies to manage and complete the rework projects in the post-pandemic world.

COVID-19 pandemic impact: an identification of the cause of cost overrun in construction project

“…Ogunnusi [10] explained the first positive impact is the opportunity to improve managing the project virtually. The situation has encouraged the usage of virtual communication to attend to operational needs such as correspondence, meetings, which could have been done face to face previously, as stated by Khan [11]. The project manager can expand technological tools to re-organize Workplan virtually and increase off-site working or use precast elements to minimize the worker in the construction site.…”