India’s infrastructure boom is not only about laying more kilometres of highways – it’s about building them smarter, safer and more sustainably. From drones mapping fragile Himalayan slopes to 3D machine-controlled graders reducing human error, technology is steadily reshaping the way projects are planned and executed. Yet, the journey towards digitisation remains complex, demanding not just capital but also coordination, training and vision.

Until recently, engineers largely depended on Survey of India toposheets and traditional survey methods like total stations or DGPS to prepare detailed project reports (DPRs). Today, drones and LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) have changed the equation...