The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) will deploy Network Survey Vehicles (NSVs) across 23 states to cover 20,933 kilometres of national highways. These vehicles will gather, process, and analyse detailed information on road inventory and pavement conditions to support improved maintenance and asset management.
The NSVs will detect defects such as potholes, cracks, and uneven surfaces to assess the structural and surface quality of highways. This technology-based approach allows NHAI to prioritise maintenance more accurately and efficiently, improving road safety and upkeep.
Data collected by the NSVs will be uploaded to NHAI’s AI-enabled Data Lake platform. A team of experts will analyse the information to generate actionable insights for maintenance planning and highway management.
Each NSV is equipped with 3D laser-based systems, high-resolution 360-degree cameras, Differential Global Positioning Systems (DGPS), Inertial Measurement Units (IMU), and Distance Measuring Indicators (DMI). This technology enables precise mapping of road surfaces for 2, 4, 6, and 8-lane projects, with surveys conducted every six months following government guidelines.
Key facts include that NHAI manages over 1.45 lakh kilometres of national highways and that DGPS technology provides accuracy within 10 centimetres. Despite representing only 2 percent of India’s total road network, national highways carry about 40 percent of the country’s road traffic.
The systematic use of NSVs reflects NHAI’s move toward data-driven infrastructure management. By combining real-time survey data with AI analytics, the authority aims to enhance safety, optimise maintenance budgets, and plan highway infrastructure more efficiently over the long term.
