The Indian government has embarked on an ambitious project to revolutionize its national highway system through comprehensive Geographic Information System mapping. This initiative, spearheaded by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, aims to create a detailed digital representation of India's entire national highway network. The project involves major road development agencies such as the National Highways Authority of India, Border Roads Organization, and National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation.
At the heart of this initiative is the goal to enhance the planning, execution, and monitoring of road projects across the country. By creating a unified GIS database, the government hopes to streamline the process of highway development, from initial planning stages to final construction and ongoing maintenance. This digital mapping will include crucial information such as the exact location of highways, topographical details, existing structures, and even high-resolution imagery of the surrounding areas.
One of the key aspects of this project is the clear demarcation of jurisdictions for different implementing agencies. MoRTH has instructed all project implementing units to mark their jurisdictions on the national highways dashboard by the end of May. This step is crucial for avoiding overlaps in responsibility and ensuring that each stretch of highway is properly accounted for and maintained. The completion of this jurisdictional mapping will provide a comprehensive overview of which agency is responsible for which sections of the national highway network.
The Bhaskaracharya National Institute for Space Applications and Geo-informatics, BISAG-N, in Gandhinagar has played a pivotal role in this project. They have already completed GIS mapping for large portions of the national highways. This data is now being verified and updated by field units of various agencies under MoRTH's supervision. The combination of BISAG-N's initial mapping and the on-ground verification by implementing agencies ensures the accuracy and reliability of the final GIS data.
The implementation of this GIS mapping project is expected to bring numerous benefits to India's highway development program. It will significantly improve transparency by providing accurate and up-to-date information about the highway network. This data will be invaluable for decision-makers, allowing them to make informed choices about new highway alignments, identify potential obstacles, and plan for future expansions more effectively. Moreover, the standardized data collection process will enhance communication flow between different agencies and stakeholders involved in highway development.
From a technical standpoint, the GIS mapping initiative aligns with India's ambitious goal of constructing 50 kilometers of highways per day. The detailed geographical information provided by GIS will enable road construction agencies to better plan and execute projects, potentially reducing delays and cost overruns. It will also aid in identifying and resolving land acquisition issues, which are often a significant hurdle in highway construction projects.
