Abstract Construction disputes in large infrastructure projects often stem from inadequately defined contractual obligations, misaligned risk allocation, and technical uncertainties. In high-speed rail (HSR) developments, these issues are exacerbated by the scale, complexity, and multiplicity of stakeholders involved. This study investigates the prioritization of key performance indicators (KPIs) associated with construction disputes in the Mumbai–Ahmedabad high-speed rail (MAHSR) project, India’s flagship bullet train initiative. Using expert input from 54 professionals across legal, engineering, and project management domains, the preference ranking organization method for enrichment evaluation (PROMETHEE) multicriteria decision-making method was applied to rank legal, contractual, and technical risks contributing to disputes. The most critical factors identified include ambiguous risk allocation clauses, design errors, building information modeling (BIM) clashes, noncompliance with environmental regulations, geotechnical data mismanagement, and delayed contractor payments. A sensitivity analysis confirms the robustness of these findings across different weighting scenarios. The study also explores the potential of blockchain-enabled smart contracts to enhance transparency, automate compliance, and improve dispute resolution processes. The findings provide actionable insights for legal professionals, project managers, and policymakers involved in HSR and similar large infrastructure projects, emphasizing the need for meticulous contract drafting, proactive risk allocation, and strategic integration of digital technologies. The research contributes to the theoretical understanding of risk allocation and dispute causation, while offering practical insights for fostering more resilient and collaborative project environments.
Raval et al. (Wed,) studied this question.