Why in news?
The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has announced that it will deploy specialised Network Survey Vehicles (NSVs) across 23 states to assess the condition of more than 20,000 kilometres of national highways. This initiative aims to collect detailed data on road quality, enabling timely maintenance and improved safety.
Background
An NSV is a customised van or truck equipped with sophisticated sensors, cameras and measurement instruments. It drives along a highway and captures information about surface defects, structural integrity and geometric features. The data are uploaded to a central Road Asset Management System, where engineers analyse them to prioritise repairs and allocate budgets.
How do the vehicles work?
- Laser scanners and LiDAR: High‑precision lasers map road surfaces to detect cracks, ruts, potholes and other forms of distress. They also measure pavement thickness and cross‑slope.
- Global Positioning System (GPS): Integrated GPS receivers provide accurate location coordinates for each observation point, allowing defects to be plotted on digital maps.
- Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU): Accelerometers and gyroscopes record the vehicle’s motion, helping to calculate road roughness and ride quality.
- High‑resolution cameras: Forward‑ and rear‑facing cameras capture continuous video of the roadway to document signage, guardrails and roadside conditions.
- Data integration: The collected measurements are processed to identify 13 types of defects, including cracking, potholes, rutting and surface undulations. Width, gradient, curvature and other geometric attributes of the road are also recorded.
Benefits
- Objective assessment: Automated surveys reduce the subjectivity associated with visual inspections and provide consistent, repeatable measurements.
- Efficient maintenance: By pinpointing problem areas, NHAI can allocate resources where they are most needed, preventing minor defects from becoming major failures.
- Enhanced safety: Early detection of hazards such as potholes and weak shoulders helps prevent accidents and improves travel comfort.
- Digital record‑keeping: The Road Asset Management System serves as a repository of historical data, enabling long‑term planning and performance benchmarking.
Conclusion
The deployment of Network Survey Vehicles marks a shift towards data‑driven highway management in India. As more roads are monitored using advanced technology, travellers can expect safer and smoother journeys while authorities can plan upgrades based on evidence rather than guesswork.
Source: The Indian Express