The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) is moving towards a predictive asset management system to strengthen the operations and maintenance of national highways across the country.
The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways said in a statement on Tuesday, 16 June, that the shift will help NHAI identify road deterioration at an early stage and carry out timely intervention before problems become critical.
The new approach marks a move away from conventional maintenance practices towards a data-driven system, where highway conditions will be monitored through advanced technologies such as network survey vehicles, drones, falling weight deflectometer testing and AI-powered dashcam analytics.
Under the first pillar of the plan, NHAI is using large-scale asset condition monitoring.
Network Survey Vehicles (NSVs) are being deployed across national highway stretches under operations and maintenance to collect pavement condition data, including roughness, rutting, cracking and structural distress.
Drone Analytics Monitoring Systems are also being used to create digital inventories of highway assets, monitor structures and identify encroachments.
Falling Weight Deflectometer testing will assess the structural health of pavements and help detect weakening sections before visible failures appear.
NHAI has also started rolling out AI-powered Dashcam Analytics Services across operational highway sections.
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These systems will automatically detect issues such as potholes, damaged crash barriers, faulty lighting and drainage problems.
The second pillar of the initiative is the creation of a centralised asset intelligence ecosystem.
Data collected through survey vehicles, drones, dashcams and pavement testing will be integrated into a single platform, giving NHAI a continuously updated view of highway asset health.
The third pillar focuses on predictive monitoring and risk-based decision-making. By combining historical condition data, inspection records and ongoing monitoring,
NHAI aims to identify trends early, prioritise vulnerable stretches and take action before maintenance issues become serious.
Underpinning these pillars is proactive intervention and performance management enabled through standardized maintenance manuals, improved maintenance contracts and robust ecosystem support, the ministry said.
The initiative is expected to help improve the longevity of national highways, optimise maintenance planning and improve travel experience for road users.
