Survey vehicles to map road defects of over 20,000 km of National Highways: Ministry
New Delhi, Oct 22
The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) will deploy Network Survey Vehicles in 23 states to survey 20,933 kilometres of National Highways in order to gather detailed road inventory and pavement condition data to expedite corrective maintenance, a government statement said on Wednesday.
The deployment of NSVs will enable the NHAI to collect necessary data related to road inventory and pavement condition, including all relevant road defects like surface cracking, potholes and patches, etc, the Road Transport & Highways Ministry statement said.
The data collected through NSV surveys will highlight deficiencies in road conditions, prompting the NHAI to take corrective measures for better upkeep of National Highways, enhancing the riding experience of the commuters, it added.
A 3D laser-based NSV system is capable of capturing and reporting road defects automatically without any human intervention with the help of high-resolution 360-degree cameras, differential GPS, inertial measurement units, and distance-measuring indicators.
Onboard data acquisition and processing software will generate inventory and pavement reports for two, four, six, and eight-lane projects.
To implement this initiative, the NHAI has invited bids from qualified companies, the statement noted.
Survey data will be uploaded to the NHAI’s AI-based Data Lake for analysis by a dedicated expert team, converting the information into actionable insights for road maintenance and asset management. The ministry said that results will be stored in the Road Asset Management System in designated formats for future use.
NHAI's 'Rajmargyatra' app enables users to gift the FASTag annual pass, the government said earlier this week, urging citizens to consider this “perfect gift for travellers†during the Diwali and festive season.
FASTag annual pass provides a seamless and economical travel option to the National Highway users and is applicable on about 1,150 toll plazas across India. The annual pass costs Rs 3,000 and is valid for one year or up to 200 toll plaza crossings.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Good initiative but execution matters. We've seen many such announcements before. Hope this time the data actually translates into better roads. The FASTag annual pass is actually quite useful for frequent travelers like me.
🛜 This is the kind of digital governance we need! 3D laser mapping and AI analysis - sounds impressive. Hope they cover the Mumbai-Pune expressway soon, the monsoon damage there needs urgent attention.
As someone who frequently travels between Bangalore and Chennai, I can't stress enough how important this is. The road conditions vary dramatically and proper maintenance is crucial for safety.
While I appreciate the technological approach, I'm concerned about the cost. Rs 3000 for FASTag annual pass is reasonable, but hope the survey costs don't become another burden on taxpayers without visible results.
The AI-based Data Lake concept is forward-thinking. If implemented properly, this could revolutionize how we maintain infrastructure. Hope they make the data publicly available for transparency.
Please start with the highways in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar first! The condition of roads there is pathetic, especially after rains. Good roads can boost economic development in these states significantly.
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