The Centre plans to finalise the GIS mapping of all national highways, marking the jurisdictions of all state-owned developers, by May 2024. This initiative aims to improve the planning, execution, and monitoring of the road network for timely project completion.
The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) has directed all project implementing units, including National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), Border Roads Organisation (BRO), and National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL) and itself, to complete marking their jurisdictions on the national highways dashboard. This effort will ensure comprehensive GIS data of highways and jurisdictional segregation for future reference and expedited work.
The standard operating procedure (SOP) aims to streamline GIS-based data collection, clearly define responsibility areas, utilise a GIS-based mapping system for network definition and data visualization, implement a verification process for data accuracy, and use the collected data for various communication purposes. With a target of constructing highways at a rate of 50 km per day, GIS technology will aid road construction agencies by providing precise information on alignments and obstructions.