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Given the concerns over delays in the completion of many National Highway projects across the country, the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways (MoRTH) has expedited the use of Automated & Intelligent Machine-aided Construction (AIMC) system.
This will provide real-time data on the status of each project, with a survey going hand-in-hand with construction at every stage of the road-building process. The generated data will be sent on a real-time basis to stakeholders, including the MoRTH.
The Ministry earlier this week issued a draft circular to all the stakeholders including National Highway Authority of India (NHAI), and the National Highways & Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL), seeking their comments and suggestions on the adoption of AIMC in National Highway projects.
A MoRTH official told The Indian Express that the department studied the systems of the likes of the US, Norway, and European Union countries, where AIMC is already implemented, to come up with this pan-India plan.
The introduction of various kinds of machinery for highway construction greatly expedited the process. Now, with the rise of Artificial Intelligence (AI), we are at the cusp of another revolution.
A number of “intelligent road construction machines” have been developed, which will enhance the durability & longevity of roads constructed, provide real time documentation, and increase productivity. Such machines will help completion of projects as per precise schedules.
Recently, while responding to a question by a member of Rajya Sabha, Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari said that out of 952 projects (including National Highway projects) costing more than Rs 150 crore which were under construction in March 2024, a total of 419 projects spilled beyond their original completion schedule, missing one or the other of the various stages of project completion.
While there are many reasons for the delay of highway projects, Ministry officials say that old technologies, un-updated information, and poor performance of contractors add to the problem.
NHAI is implementing AIMC on a pilot basis in the 63-km long under-construction Lucknow-Kanpur Expressway Project, also known as the Awadh Expressway, where automated & intelligent machines such as GPS-aided motor grader, intelligent compactor, and stringless paver have been used.
Officials said that on the basis of this pilot projects, there will be countrywide adoption of the AIMC in National Highway construction.
“These machines are called intelligent machines, not the AI machines. Because AI works on the basis of already available data, in these machines, we have to feed project-wise information in the system, which will reduce the manpower. It will expedite the working because with these machines, the construction will continue during the night also,” said the official quoted above.
He further said, “Currently, after the completion of each stage of the construction, we have to carry out surveys to check if the quality has not been compromised. With these machines, the survey will go hand-in-hand as it will send real-time data on every step to all the stakeholders including the Ministry.”
Road projects require embankment, subgrade, subbase, and base pavement layers. Under the AIMC system, a GPS-aided motor grader will be used for earthworks, subbase & base layers, and an intelligent compaction roller (IC roller) and Single Drum/Tandem Vibratory Roller will be used for soil, subbase and base layer compaction.
GPS-aided motor grader, also called 3D machine control technology, will process the data from Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS), and an angle sensor. It will calculate the precise position and orientation of the grader’s blade in real-time and compare it to the desired design surface or grade specified in the digital design plans.
Similarly, the IC roller will help in minimising the post-construction consolidation, an important step in highway construction. Consolidation reduces the volume of voids, air pockets, or water in materials, such as concrete or soil, so that the roads do not get damaged.
India presently has about 1.46 lakh km in its National Highways network. Out of this network, about 3,000 km comprises high-speed corridors — with a vision to construct a further 45,000 km till 2047.
