The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) will empanel IITs and other reputed technical institutions for independent proof checking of hydraulic studies and designs of major bridge structures across new National Highway projects.
In a statement on Tuesday, 30 June, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways said the initiative has been taken to strengthen safety, quality and long-term durability of the National Highway network.
The framework will apply to major bridges being planned under new highway projects.
These bridges are designed for a service life of 100 years or more and will undergo independent technical review before construction.
Around 12 IITs and other premier institutions have expressed willingness to collaborate with NHAI. These include IIT Delhi, IIT Bombay, IIT Roorkee and IIT Kharagpur.
The ministry said the initiative will help NHAI create a nationwide institutional framework for design vetting of critical bridge projects.
The independent review process will cover structural design calculations, engineering drawings, construction methodologies, geotechnical investigations and hydraulic studies.
The framework will be uniformly applicable across projects being implemented under different modes of construction.
According to the ministry, this will create a consistent quality assurance mechanism across different project delivery formats.
The initiative is aimed at improving design reliability and reducing long-term operational risks in major bridge projects on the National Highway network.
NHAI said the move is aligned with its broader objective of adopting best-in-class engineering practices and institutional mechanisms for developing a high-quality and future-ready National Highway network.
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