DRIVING CHANGE

Construction and infrastructure equipment are seeing regular advancements driven by challenging projects.

- Molly R

India's Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) has proposed a draft policy for implementing Automated and Intelligent Machine-Aided Construction (AI-MC) in national highway projects.

The policy aims to utilise AI technologies to enhance efficiency and safety in road construction. A workshop was held to refine the policy, explore potential improvements, and align it with industry needs and future road construction trends.

The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) is successfully implementing a pilot project for AI-MC on the Lucknow-Kanpur Expressway. This project involves the use of automated and intelligent machines such as GPS-aided motor graders, intelligent compactors, and stringless pavers. Based on the evaluation of the AI-MC pilot project, along with feedback from stakeholders and international guidelines, NHAI plans to expand the use of AI-MC for the construction of additional greenfield expressways and access-controlled corridor projects.

Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari, stated, “National Highways are our national assets, and we have taken steps to hold contractors responsible for improving construction quality and increasing transparency in our system. Technology is a great enabler, and the adoption of Automated & Intelligent Machine-Aided Construction is a step in the right direction. We have seen success in the Lucknow-Kanpur expressway pilot project, and we plan to implement this technology in other projects soon.”