Nitin Gadkari, Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, emphasised the importance of national highways as vital assets and highlighted the government's focus on improving their quality and safety. Efforts are underway to hold contractors accountable for quality construction and enhance system transparency. During a stakeholder consultation workshop in New Delhi, organised by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), Gadkari underscored the role of technology in enhancing infrastructure. He noted the success of the Lucknow-Kanpur Expressway pilot project, which employed Automated & Intelligent Machine-Aided Construction (AIMC) technology, and indicated plans to expand its implementation to other projects. Ajay Tamta, Minister of State for Road Transport and Highways, acknowledged India's progress in developing world-class roads and highways, stressing the role of advanced technology, including sensors, satellites, and real-time monitoring, in further accelerating this transformation. These advancements align with the government’s Vision 2047 to elevate India's road infrastructure to a global standard. V Umashankar, Secretary, MoRTH, pointed out the long-term impact of current road construction projects, emphasising the importance of time and quality. He highlighted compaction technology as a critical aspect of construction and expressed confidence that the workshop's discussions would provide valuable insights for adopting AIMC technology in national highway projects. The workshop also featured Vishal Chauhan, Member (Administration) of NHAI, who highlighted the shift towards a data-driven approach in road construction through AI-MC technology. Anil Choudhary, Member (Projects) of NHAI, presented a brief on the stakeholder consultation. The consultation workshop aimed to improve National Highway construction by refining the draft policy for adopting AIMC technology. NHAI has already piloted AIMC on the Lucknow-Kanpur Expressway, using advanced machines like GPS-aided motor graders and intelligent compactors. Based on its success, NHAI plans to implement AIMC technology in more Greenfield Expressways and Access-Controlled corridors. News source: PIB