New approach! Here is how IITs, NITs will help NHAI in providing world-class National Highways

With an aim to provide world-class National Highways (NH) network, NHAI has approached all IITs, NITs and reputed Engineering Colleges to collaborate and adopt nearby stretches of NH, on a voluntary basis, as part of Institutional Social Responsibility (ISR). The objective is to leverage the intellectual prudence of students and faculty towards the improvement of road infrastructure ecosystem of the country. The Institutes along with its faculty and students have a better appreciation of local requirement, topography, resource potential etc. and these vital inputs can be utilized by NHAI during different stages of pre-construction, construction, and operation of NH stretches.

This decentralized approach, besides building a sense of participation in decision making, also provides an opportunity to the students for hands-on-learning, option for internship and future areas of research. The adoption of stretch by the Institute opens an avenue for access to important data, which can be used to improve the quality and safety aspects of NH and enhance the local capacity of the Institute in terms of advanced Lab and Simulation systems.

Adoption of NH stretch by an Institute would facilitate stakeholder engagement and help to mitigate the routine local problems such as traffic movement, congestion and immediate identification of accident-prone sites. The Highway users become more empowered in resolving local problems through the Institute and the Authority. Such instances would help NHAI in understanding the local needs both in the present and future projects, improve the maintenance and riding comfort and develop wayside amenities for enhanced user experience. The overall outcome shall be a commuter-friendly and enjoyable ride on the NH stretch.

A large number of IITs, NITs and Engineering Colleges have opted to join the scheme and NHAI officers have started mutual consultation with Directors of the interested Institutes. Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) is being signed between the individual Institutes and NHAI for the institutionalization of the scheme and bring reformative improvements in the road infrastructure of the country.