The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) has decided to adopt Automated and Intelligent Machine-aided Construction (AIMC) in highway projects across the country. According to officials, Cabinet approval is awaited for ten projects under AIMC. The ministry has also sought feedback from concessionaires and contractors to frame Indian Roads Congress (IRC) guidelines for the use of AIMC.
The ministry has already sanctioned sixteen projects where AIMC will be deployed. These include the Western Bypass Gwalior (29 km), six-lane Greenfield Ludhiana Bypass (25 km), Deoghar Bypass (49 km), Shillong-Silchar Corridor (167 km), Vrindavan Bypass (15 km) and Patna-Arrah-Sasaram stretch (125 km) in Bihar. The ten projects awaiting Cabinet clearance include the Satellite Township Ring Road in Bengaluru (144 km), Badvel-Nellore Corridor in Andhra Pradesh (108 km), Sirhind-Sehna section of NH-205AG in Punjab (107 km), and Nashik-Ahmednagar-Solapur-Akkalkot segment of the Surat-Chennai Expressway (374 km).
Officials said the adoption of AIMC is aimed at improving quality, reducing delays and optimising resources in highway construction. The decision follows a pilot project on the Lucknow-Kanpur Expressway, where machines including GPS-aided motor graders, intelligent compactors and stringless pavers were tested. Feedback from stakeholders and study of international practices were also considered before formal adoption of AIMC.
In December, the ministry invited comments from road construction agencies, public works departments of states and union territories, and other stakeholders on the proposed adoption of AIMC. The ministry said AIMC will help achieve better adherence to design specifications, improve performance durability of highways, reduce material wastage, enhance productivity, enable real-time documentation and bring more transparency in the construction process.
Officials also said the ministry will help concessionaires and contractors obtain required radio frequency licences from the Department of Telecommunication for using machines equipped with communication systems.
The adoption of AIMC comes at a time when the national highways network has expanded significantly. Over the past decade, there has been considerable growth in greenfield and brownfield projects, many involving large earthworks and embankments. According to officials, AIMC is expected to help manage these tasks more efficiently by minimising human intervention and ensuring consistency in execution.
The IRC guidelines, which will be framed after receiving feedback from stakeholders, are likely to set standards for equipment calibration, operational protocols, quality assurance processes and data documentation requirements. These guidelines are expected to be rolled out after Cabinet clearance of pending projects and evaluation of feedback.
Officials said AIMC will also facilitate improved safety standards by integrating machine control technologies that can reduce human error during construction. While machines with GPS and intelligent compaction systems have been used in some past projects on an experimental basis, this is the first large-scale move towards nationwide adoption.
The ministry is focusing on expanding the highway network under various schemes including Bharatmala Pariyojana, which aims to develop economic corridors, inter-corridor routes and feeder routes to improve connectivity. Adoption of AIMC is expected to contribute to this programme by streamlining construction processes and ensuring higher quality standards.
The benefits of AIMC, according to the ministry, include better quality control, efficient use of materials, reduced project cycle times, and improved monitoring capabilities. These are expected to help address delays and cost overruns that have affected several highway projects in the past.
The ministry is also studying models from other countries that have adopted machine-aided construction practices. Officials said best practices from these countries would be adapted to suit Indian conditions.
Feedback from stakeholders is likely to be collected over the coming months. The IRC guidelines will be finalised thereafter and issued as mandatory standards for projects implementing AIMC.
