In a landmark event addressing the future of India’s road infrastructure, Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari, underscored the importance of national highways as crucial national assets. Speaking at the Stakeholder Consultation Workshop on Automated & Intelligent Machine-Aided Construction (AIMC), organized by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), he highlighted the government’s commitment to ensuring enhanced quality and safety in highway construction.
Enhancing Quality and Transparency in Highway Construction
Gadkari, in his keynote speech, reiterated the ministry’s focus on quality and safety in national highway construction. He emphasized that stringent measures have been introduced to hold contractors accountable for project execution and ensure increased transparency in the system. He remarked, “National Highways are our national assets, and we have put a lot of emphasis on enhancing their quality and safety. We have taken measures to fix contractors’ responsibility to enhance the quality of construction and also to improve transparency in our system.”
Addressing the audience, Gadkari highlighted the successful pilot project on the Lucknow-Kanpur Expressway, where AIMC was deployed effectively. “Technology is a great enabler, and the adoption of Automated & Intelligent Machine-Aided Construction is a step in the right direction. We have achieved success in the Lucknow-Kanpur Expressway pilot project and soon we will implement this technology in other projects as well,” he stated.
Technology as the Key Driver for Infrastructure Transformation
Minister of State for Road Transport and Highways, Ajay Tamta, acknowledged the significant advancements India has made in building world-class roads and highways. He credited this transformation to the integration of cutting-edge technology. “India has made remarkable strides in developing world-class roads and highways that have significantly enhanced our infrastructure. Every stakeholder plays a vital role in this transformation. As we move forward, leveraging advanced technology such as sensors, satellites, and real-time monitoring will be key to accelerating progress. With continuous technological advancements, we are committed to aligning India’s road infrastructure with Vision 2047 and taking our National Highway network to the world-class level,” he affirmed.
V Umashankar, Secretary, Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH), echoed similar sentiments, underlining the importance of time and quality in highway construction. “The roads and highways that we construct today will serve our nation for many years to come. Therefore, time and quality of construction are the two critical parameters that we have been focusing on. Compaction is one of the critical aspects of road construction, and the technology available today enables us to address the challenges related to compaction. I am sure that deliberations at this workshop will provide critical insights that will help us in adopting AIMC technology for the enhancement of National Highway construction,” he stated.
AIMC: A Game Changer in Highway Construction
During the workshop, Vishal Chauhan, Member (Administration) at NHAI, emphasized that the consultation workshop’s inputs will help transition from conventional highway construction methods to a data-driven approach by integrating AIMC technology. Additionally, Anil Choudhary, Member (Projects) at NHAI, provided a detailed presentation on the consultations and deliberations held during the workshop.
To strengthen National Highway construction capabilities through AIMC technology, the workshop served as a crucial platform for discussions and suggestions to refine the recently released draft policy for the ‘Adoption of Automated & Intelligent Machine-Aided Construction (AIMC) in National Highway Projects’ by MoRTH.
The AIMC pilot project on the Lucknow-Kanpur Expressway has already demonstrated promising results, incorporating cutting-edge machinery such as GPS-aided Motor Graders, Intelligent Compactors, and Stringless Pavers. Based on the project’s evaluation and stakeholder feedback, NHAI plans to extend AIMC adoption to more Greenfield Expressways and Access-Controlled corridors.
Future Roadmap for AIMC in India
The draft policy highlights the vast potential of AIMC in revolutionizing National Highway construction across the country. This initiative aligns with the government’s vision to integrate technological advancements for enhanced efficiency, sustainability, and road safety.
Senior officials from MoRTH, NHAI, NHIDCL, technology providers, concessioners, consultants, machine equipment manufacturers, and other stakeholders actively participated in the workshop, reinforcing a collective commitment toward the modernization of India’s highway infrastructure.
With the successful implementation of AIMC and sustained technological integration, India is poised to set a new benchmark in highway construction, ultimately paving the way for a robust and future-ready road network.
