India’s national highway network is set for a major technology overhaul as the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways rolls out AI-assisted drone surveys, digital inspection tools and Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) systems to strengthen quality control and maintenance across the country’s road infrastructure.
In a written reply to the Lok Sabha, Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari outlined a series of upgrades that will standardise monitoring and accelerate compliance checks. Officials will now upload geo-tagged and time-stamped photographs, videos and field reports through digital platforms such as the NHAI ONE/Tatpar app, enabling real-time visibility of ground conditions.
The Ministry noted that citizen complaints submitted via helplines, social media and mobile applications such as the Rajmarg Yatra app continue to be channelled through established grievance-redressal systems. Contractors and concessionaires remain responsible for asset upkeep under BOT, HAM, and EPC frameworks throughout the concession or defect-liability period.
Central to the new framework is the integration of advanced inspection and NDT-based evaluation tools. The government has mandated the use of Network Survey Vehicles (NSVs) for periodic road condition assessments—before project initiation, prior to completion certification, and at six-month intervals thereafter. These NSVs provide objective data to verify maintenance obligations and prioritise repair needs.
Drone-based imaging will also play a larger role. High-resolution visuals collected through UAV surveys will be analysed using the Drone Analytics Monitoring System (DAMS), which integrates AI/ML algorithms to evaluate progress and quality across ongoing highway projects.
In one of the most significant steps toward diagnostics-driven maintenance, Mobile Quality Control Vans (MQCVs) equipped with Non-Destructive Testing equipment have been deployed as pilots in Gujarat, Rajasthan, Odisha and Karnataka. These vans are designed to assess pavement health, structural integrity and the overall quality of works during active project phases—strengthening oversight and reducing the reliance on manual inspection.
Additionally, Third Party Quality Auditors will be engaged on a case-to-case basis to provide independent verification of construction quality and compliance with technical standards.
With this multi-technology approach—spanning AI, drone analytics, MQCVs and advanced NDT systems—the Centre aims to build a more transparent, accountable and data-driven regime for national highway maintenance, marking a shift toward global best practices in infrastructure monitoring.
