NHAI Member R.K. Pandey outlines new technologies to ensure transparency

Mysore/Mysuru: Road development in India has made huge progress over the past few years and at present, project awards and completion have been touching new highs. The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has been pivotal in the growth story of the sector and new technology is being adopted, said R.K. Pandey, Member (Projects), NHAI.

He was speaking at the National Seminar on ‘Latest Technologies in Construction’ organised by the Builders Association of India (BAI), Mysore Centre, as part of BuildTech – 2022 in aid of Mysore Builders Charitable Trust (MBCT). The event was held last evening at MBCT Auditorium at Vishveshwaranagar in city.

“Every year, we reinvent ourselves and adopt new technologies and as such, the progress in the road sector has been marked by heightened levels of activity. The Centre has successfully created an ecosystem to debottleneck the sector and many projects are being implemented,” he said.

“Earlier, contract management at NHAI was overseen by engineers as it is their role to determine the quality of the construction or operation. However, in an attempt to eliminate human subjectivity, the NHAI has made the use of network survey vehicles mandatory to ensure that work is carried out in accordance with contract. Now, drone videography is being carried out at regular intervals for a variety of projects, allowing for a better understanding of a project’s progress,” he added.

Drone mapping is also being used to identify choke points on the existing National Highways. Many such digital measures were initially undertaken as pilot projects, for which the feedback received was favourable, Pandey explained. NHAI uses alternative construction materials and techniques and has digitised the entire project life cycle to ensure transparency and minimise disputes. “We have introduced many digital practices such as light detection and ranging technology, fully automatic data capturing gear and software where all information including correspondence between contractors and officers are readily available,” Pandey said.

The digital system has yielded positive outcomes and has streamlined bill payment processes, he added. The NHAI is equipped with sensors and the road profiling can be performed according to the drawing without human intervention. It provides a clear picture of not only the construction’s progress but also its quality, he opined.