MoRTH Rolls Out Mobile Labs to Boost Highway Quality Checks

Each MQCV operates as a fully equipped, mobile laboratory, enabling rapid, non-destructive testing of construction quality directly at project sites.

As India accelerates highway construction at record pace, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) is shifting focus from expansion to excellence — ensuring that roads are not only built faster but built better.

In a major quality assurance push, MoRTH has launched a pilot project deploying Mobile Quality Control Vans (MQCVs) across four states — Rajasthan, Gujarat, Karnataka and Odisha — to strengthen on-site monitoring of National Highway construction.

Turning Highways into Data-Driven Assets

Each MQCV operates as a fully equipped, mobile laboratory, enabling rapid, non-destructive testing of construction quality directly at project sites.

The goal is clear: move from reactive inspections to proactive, real-time quality diagnostics that improve safety, durability and accountability.

Inside the Mobile Quality Control Vans

The MQCVs are fitted with advanced non-destructive testing tools, including:

• Rebound HammersAssess surface hardness and estimate strength of hardened concrete structures on-site.

• Ultrasonic Pulse Velocity MetersTransmit sound waves through concrete to detect hidden cracks, voids and internal defects.

• Asphalt Density GaugesProvide quick, non-nuclear, on-site assessment of asphalt compaction to ensure pavement longevity.

• Light-Weight Deflectometers (LWD)Measure compaction quality of soil and granular sub-base layers to ensure stable road foundations.

• ReflectometersEvaluate visibility and retro-reflectivity of road markings and signage for day-and-night driver safety.

Together, these technologies enable construction quality to be verified without disrupting work, ensuring immediate detection and correction of deficiencies.

Real-Time Oversight and Transparency

Test results generated by the MQCVs are shared with MoRTH’s field offices. In case of deficiencies, corrective action is initiated promptly.

To strengthen transparency and monitoring, the Ministry is developing a National Highway Quality Monitoring Portal, which will:

• Upload test reports online

• Provide real-time GPS tracking of MQCVs

• Enable data-driven oversight across projects

This digital integration is expected to institutionalise accountability and bring greater visibility to highway quality checks nationwide.

Expansion to 11 More States

Following the successful pilot phase, MoRTH has planned expansion of MQCV deployment across 11 additional states:

• Uttar Pradesh

• Maharashtra

• Bihar

• Jharkhand

• Andhra Pradesh

• Telangana

• Tamil Nadu

• Madhya Pradesh

• Chhattisgarh

• Assam

• Meghalaya

Tenders have already been invited, and the next phase of vans is expected to be operational by June 2026.

Building Faster — and Smarter

India’s highway network has expanded rapidly over the past decade, but MoRTH’s latest initiative signals a deeper shift — embedding quality control and technological innovation into infrastructure governance.

With mobile labs on the move and digital monitoring in place, India’s highways are poised to become not just symbols of connectivity, but benchmarks of durability, safety and transparency.