Road Safety Ambassador-IRF I IT Advisor ITDA, Uttrakhand I President ITS INDIA | Ext Adv McKinsey, WEF I Chairman BIF I Adjunct Prof La Sierra, California I Former NHAI I FASTag I EV & AV I Infra I Best Selling Author
India has a crack on every second road, but Dubai has close to none! What has made it possible? - Artificial Intelligence. Dubai uses a laser technology, fixed on top of patrolling cars who spot the cracks, in order to fix these roads. The vehicle also possesses a high-resolution camera that examines the roads and instantly scans for defects. The camera then displays the footage on the driver's dashboard to monitor the road. When the driver observes the road defects, it can make their way towards the safer side. This technology is so efficient that it can scan defects as small as 1mm on the roads, collecting data like crack width, depth and location. It also helps the authorities make an accurate virtual map of Dubai roads with an accuracy of 97%. This data is helpful for the Dubai Road and Transport Authority (RTA) in rectifying defects. This year, the technologies ability to detect 13 defect types will help fix close to 168 kilometers of roads in the country. Moreover, its ability to detect 13 defect types will also help to fix 168 km of roads this year, double the number fixed last year. This laser technology is a remarkable innovation that has transformed the long process of checking and fixing defects. Dubai is on the right track to improve its roads and revolutionize safety. We do have similar technology for several years but due to lack of data analytics and subsquent remedial action, it’s irrelevant! Do you think it's time for India to adopt it in a more fruitful way ? #dubai #roadsafety #ai #technology
It’s not about the technology that collects the crack and other defect details. It’s about the policy and system on how we utilise this information in pavement performance assessment and evolve our pavement design. There is no consolidated IRC guidelines which combines the functional and structural assessment of pavement and using this in performance based pavement design. Talking about RTA, Dubai, do they make use of this data in asset management and pavement performance assessment. Answer is no. May be the data is being collected but there is no evidence of its proper use.
Inherent mistakes in execution: Yesterday I returned from road journey of 2500km. Almost 30% of PQC has failed within 1-year of construction (mostly pre-COD stage). Rutting was observed on new flexible roads almost for 60% new roads. Pavement construction over subgrade with expansive soils or other issues requires proper assessment and execution. New roads are so bumpy that roughness measurement is not necessary. Road Asset owners are not seriously looking at construction, operation and maintenance part, as although contract includes clauses of reduction of toll fee related to reduced serviceablity; but hardly implemented (?). The Enforcement of Existing Policy included in the contracts is need of the hour. Government should collect PMS data directly to safeguard interest of road users.
Akhilesh Srivastava , your forward-thinking approach to road safety and the use of technology in infrastructure is truly commendable. At InfraX AI, we share your vision for innovation and sustainability in infrastructure management. We offer advanced solutions in data analytics, IoT, and computer vision powered by AI to improve road safety and enhance sustainability. We would love to connect and explore potential collaborations in this area.
Road scanners are already being used in India . Scanning will not make road crack free . Only well designed asphalt mix paved properly can do it. Later scanners can only help in crack detection for timely maintenance .
We have NSV since many years...
India uses the same technology from 2011. The main issue arises post data collection and how to use the collected data efficiently. A robust PMS is the need for hour.
The major application of collecting pavement condition data using cameras and sensors is in Pavement Management System (PMS). There is a planned & budgeted & prioritised maintenance for highways, city streets, and airfields in developed nations. I am hopeful that the foreign investors of India's highways - Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan Cube Highways Macquarie Group CPP Investments | Investissements RPC will eventually implement PMS on their network of highways acquired through NHAI's ToT or InvIT models.
Money is the lifeblood of progress and governments are no exception they invest where they see returns. Regardless of the technology.
Road Safety Ambassador-IRF I IT Advisor ITDA, Uttrakhand I President ITS INDIA | Ext Adv McKinsey, WEF I Chairman BIF I Adjunct Prof La Sierra, California I Former NHAI I FASTag I EV & AV I Infra I Best Selling Author
8moMany people have given valuable comments that we have NSV since many years. Agreed, I was part of the NSV drafting policy. Here are my two points- (1) NSV generates volumes of Data and who analyse and monitor NSV Data. (2) NSV is very costly in comparison to these AI based applications which give direct actionable pointed outputs. Time has changed and new better and cost effective technologies have emerged. Let’s not struggle with the older versions.