India Advances with Automated Highways: A Leap Towards Future Infrastructure

At a stakeholder workshop in New Delhi, Nitin Gadkari emphasized the importance of quality and safety in National Highways, highlighting the adoption of Automated & Intelligent Machine-Aided Construction (AIMC). With successful trials like the Lucknow-Kanpur Expressway, AIMC promises to enhance India's road infrastructure, aligning with Vision 2047 goals.

At a stakeholder consultation workshop held in New Delhi and organized by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari, underscored the significance of National Highways as vital national assets. He stressed the government's focus on improving their quality and safety. Speaking on Thursday, Gadkari highlighted measures to ensure contractor accountability and enhanced transparency in highway construction.

Gadkari further emphasized the role of technology as a transformative force, noting the success of the Lucknow-Kanpur Expressway pilot project using Automated & Intelligent Machine-Aided Construction (AIMC). He revealed plans to expand this technology to other national highway projects.

Minister of State for Road Transport and Highways Ajay Tamta praised India's advancements in road infrastructure, underscoring the importance of stakeholders in this progress. He pointed out that leveraging advanced technology, including sensors, satellites, and real-time monitoring, is crucial for aligning with Vision 2047 and elevating India's road network to world-class standards.

V Umashankar, Secretary of MoRTH, emphasized the long-term significance of current road construction, focusing on time and quality. He highlighted technology solutions available to address construction challenges, specifically compaction, and anticipated valuable insights from the workshop to further implement AIMC.

Vishal Chauhan, Member (Administration) at NHAI, noted that insights from the workshop would transform highway construction into a data-driven approach with AIMC integration. Anil Choudhary, Member (Projects) at NHAI, outlined the stakeholder consultations. The workshop aimed at refining the draft policy for AIMC adoption in highway projects as tested on the Lucknow-Kanpur Expressway.

The draft policy aims to transform the highway development landscape with AIMC, with NHAI planning further deployment based on successful pilot evaluations. Senior officials, technology providers, and stakeholders attended the discussion, contributing to shaping the future of India's highways.

(With inputs from agencies.)