NHAI to deploy AI-enabled cameras on 40,000 km of NHs for monitoring

The National Highways Authority of India will deploy advanced AI powered dashcam analytics services (DAS) on around 40,000 km of the National Highway network to enable timely maintenance, improve road safety and enhance overall user experience across the National Highway network.

“This initiative leverages Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) to enhance use of high-tech, data-driven operations and maintenance (O&M) for the National Highways and Expressways across the country,” NHAI said in a statement.


According to NHAI, the project aims to enhance remote tracking and road condition assessments using high-resolution imagery and video data.


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The plan is to mount specialized dashboard cameras on Route Patrol Vehicles (RPVs) to conduct weekly surveys on all the stretches comprehensively while deploying advanced AI/ML trained models for identification of over 30 types of defects and anomalies automatically.

To further enhance road safety, at least one weekly survey will also be conducted during nighttime in a month for performance evaluation of road signages, pavement markings, road studs and highway lighting, it said adding that other critical maintenance issues like water stagnation, missing drainage covers, vegetation growth and condition of bus bays shall also be covered.

It has created five zones across the country for effective monitoring of the reports and a specialized IT platform, featuring dedicated modules for data management, AI analytics and interactive visualization dashboards, is being developed for this purpose.

The major focus will be on pavement condition which includes detection of potholes, rutting, and severe cracking and will also cover road furniture incorporating real-time identification of damaged or faded lane markings, crash barriers and non-functional streetlights.

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Focus will also be on safety and encroachments through monitoring for illegal median openings, unauthorized signboards, and illegal parking or encroachments.

This will also pave the way for side-by-side comparisons of road conditions over time, enabling NHAI to precisely track maintenance progress and repair efficiently.

The AI generated results shall also be integrated to the central NHAI data lake platform for seamless monitoring and ensuring timely rectification of defects.