Kolkata, June 30 (IANS) Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) and other premier institutions will now independently proof-check designs of major bridges being built along National Highways in the country. This move will not only ensure safety but also lead to long-term cost savings.

This landmark decision was taken by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) on June 30. The premier institutions will be empanelled for independent proof-checking of hydraulic studies and the design of major bridge structures across all new National Highway projects.

The initiative aims to ensure that major bridges, designed for a service life of 100 years or more, undergo rigorous independent technical review before construction.

Around 12 IITs, including IIT Delhi, IIT Bombay, IIT Roorkee, IIT Kharagpur and several other premier institutions, have expressed willingness to collaborate with NHAI, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) said in a statement.

This will enable NHAI to create a nationwide institutional framework for design vetting of critical bridge projects. The framework will help to strengthen quality assurance practices and promote better design and execution of bridge projects.

It will include reviews of structural design calculations, engineering drawings, construction methodologies, geotechnical investigations, and hydraulic studies, the ministry said.

It has been made clear that the framework will be uniformly applicable across projects implemented under various construction modes, thereby creating a consistent quality assurance mechanism across different project delivery formats.

The initiative aligns with NHAI’s broader objective of adopting best-in-class engineering practices and institutional mechanisms to support the development of a high-quality and future-ready National Highway network.

Major bridges cost a lot of money, and having to tear them down mid-life due to flawed designs not only causes immense inconvenience to National Highway users, but also adds to project costs, a top official said.

–IANS

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