- NHAI aims to enhance road safety by leveraging artificial intelligence-based technological solutions.
The state-owned National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), under the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways, Government of India has signed an agreement with the Indraprastha Institute of Information Technology (IIIT Delhi) in an attempt to leverage artificial intelligence-based technological solutions to improve road signs on National Highways, reported PTI.
The report has stated that NHAI has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with IIIT Delhi, under which the educational institute will conduct surveys for collecting imagery, other related data and the condition of road signage on selected national highway stretches. These data will be collected through surveys and will be processed by IIIT Delhi through the deployment of artificial intelligence for accurate identification and classification of road signs, the report further added.
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The official statement said that the tentative length of national highway roads to be covered under this project shall be around 25,000 kilometres. The statement also said that by harnessing the potential of artificial intelligence and Geographic Information Systems (GIS), NHAI aims to enhance road safety for all national highway users by embracing innovation and adopting advanced technologies.
NHAI to offer projects worth ₹44,000 crore under BOT mode in FY25
NHAI is looking to offer 15 different road projects worth ₹44,000 crore covering 937 kilometres during the current financial year under the Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) mode, claimed another report by PTI.
Earlier this year, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) came out with a modified BOT project document to attract the private companies for investments in the highways infrastructure sector. These national highway stretches include Guwahati Ring road including Brahmaputra Bridge in Assam (project cost ₹5,500 crore), Kasarwadi-Rajgurunagar in Maharashtra ( ₹5,954 crore), Pune-Shirur road project in Maharashtra ( ₹6,170 crore) and Armoor-Mancherial road project in Telangana ( ₹3,175 crore), among others.
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In BOT projects, the private investors take the financing, building and operating responsibilities of a highway project over a concession period of 20-30 years. The developer then recoups investment through user charges or toll taxes.
The changes in BOT projects introduced earlier in 2024 include construction support to concessionaires to complete them on time and a longer toll collection period to cover losses on account of competing roads.
First Published Date: 23 Jun 2024, 08:46 AM IST