NEWS

• The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) announced the deployment of Network Survey Vehicles (NSVs) across 23 states, covering 20,933 km of National Highways.
• Objective: To collect, process, and analyse road condition data for better maintenance and safety.

HIGHLIGHTS

What are Network Survey Vehicles (NSVs)?

• Specialised vehicles equipped with:
  • Laser scanners
  • GPS and IMU sensors
  • High-resolution 360° cameras
  • Distance Measuring Indicators (DMI)
• Function: Conduct automated road and pavement condition surveys detecting:
  • Cracks, potholes, ravelling, rutting, edge breaks, and faded lane markings.

Need for NSV Deployment

• India faces chronic issues of poor road maintenance, leading to:
  • Higher accident rates
  • Reduced vehicle efficiency
  • Premature infrastructure deterioration
• Despite policy guidelines (2019) for NSV-based road surveys, implementation has been limited.

Road Asset Management System (RAMS)

• Developed by Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH).
• Serves as a digital “Datalake” for:
  • Planning, budgeting, and lifecycle management of NHs.
  • Storing and analysing NSV survey data for scientific maintenance decisions.

 Implementation Details

• NHAI to survey 20,933 km (91,280 lane km) of NHs.
• Divided into 5 zones:
  • North (2,687 km) | West (3,915 km) | Centre (4,616 km) | South (4,537 km) | East (5,179 km)
• Data collection every six months using 3D laser-based systems.

 Significance

• Enhances transparency & accountability in highway maintenance.
• Enables data-driven decision-making for asset management.
• Reduces human intervention and ensures real-time defect detection.

 About NHAI

• Autonomous agency under MoRTH.
• Responsible for development, management, and tolling of NHs (~50,000 km).
• Ensures highways remain safe, pothole-free, and efficient.