Over the years, bridge design and construction practices in India have come a long way. Now, modern bridge designs involve a comprehensive process that includes site selection, hydraulic and geotechnical analysis, structural design, and mandatory compliance with Indian standards and regulations. India’s bridge construction landscape is evolving through the adoption of sustainable materials, advanced engineering techniques, stringent safety codes, and digital innovations. These developments collectively aim to deliver durable, safe and environmentally responsible bridges that meet the country’s growing infrastructure needs and fulfill the ambitious future goals.
Supportive policies set new standards
Bridge safety in India is governed by comprehensive regulatory codes and standards. The Indian Roads Congress (IRC) and Indian Railways have established detailed guidelines for bridge design, construction and maintenance. For instance, IRC:6-2017 specifies load classifications to ensure bridges are designed for expected vehicle types and weights, while IRC Code 70-2017 outlines systematic procedures for inspection, maintenance and repair. These codes emphasise the importance of employing qualified personnel and proactive interventions to prevent failures. Indian Railways Bridge Rules further mandate that all relevant loads and design considerations be addressed for both new and existing bridges, with specific codes for different bridge materials.
Modern bridges in India are built to last at least a 100 years, hence their structural design is essential to ensure longevity. These often depend on site-specific factors such as stream width, flow depth, subsoil conditions and the availability of skilled labor. The selection of bridge type and span arrangement is made with these parameters in mind to ensure stability and long-term durability. Load and safety standards are rigorously applied, with bridges designed to withstand vehicular, pedestrian and seismic loads in accordance with IRC codes and the National Building Code.
In fact, back in 2023, the centre approved the precast policy for constructing national highways. To leverage the benefits of prefabrication in the construction of national highways, expressways and other centrally sponsored road projects, the ministry has mandated the use of factory-manufactured precast concrete elements in projects within a 100 km radius of a precast factory. The minimum mandatory usage is 25 per cent of the total concrete volume, excluding foundations and substructures of bridges, viaducts and road over bridges. Since then, many efforts have been made to encourage construction companies to use construction components produced in controlled factory environments. In a bid to further expand its use, Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) is now considering raising mandatory precast concrete use from 25 per cent to 75-80 per cent.
Another major nationwide initiative is the Indian Bridge Management System (IBMS), which was launched to systematically inventory all bridges in the country, assess their structural condition, and prioritise repairs or replacements. According to MoRTH, over 170,000 bridges and culverts have been inventorised under IBMS.
New age materials and construction techniques
The construction process itself has become more systematic and streamlined, beginning with collaborative planning and detailed structural drawings prepared by engineers and architects. Regulatory compliance is ensured through adherence to Indian standards (IS codes), IRC guidelines and environmental regulations, ensuring all necessary approvals are secured before construction begins for any project, this makes sure that construction has minimal impact on the surrounding regions of a bridge. For the construction of river bridges, site preparation includes stabilisation, guide bunds and flood management measures to mitigate hydrological risks.
Material selection and construction methods are also evolving to promote and incorporate sustainability factors. The use of alternative materials such as fly ash and slag, as well as aggregates such as manufactured sand and industrial slags, has helped reduce environmental impact while maintaining structural bridge integrity. Precast concrete segments and modern construction techniques such as the balanced cantilever method are increasingly being adopted in various projects to improve efficiency and quality control.
Recent projects where these techniques have been used include the Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train project’s bridges, which used the balanced cantilever method, which is useful for covering large spans. The bridge also consists of 72 precast segments arranged in a 40m + 65m + 65m + 40m span configuration. The Pamban bridge, which is India’s first vertical lift bridge, is a key example of new material and construction techniques. Its use of stainless-steel reinforcement and marine-grade steel significantly improves corrosion resistance, especially in coastal and marine environments, thereby extending the lifespan of the coastal bridge. The lift span truss employs fully welded girders with box sections to reduce corrosion risk further. Another, recent project is the Yettinahole Drinking Water Project Aqueduct, which adopted precast concrete technology to construct a 10.47 km-long RCC aqueduct with a maximum height of 41 meters.
It is also important to ensure that the quality of a bridge does not vary much over long periods of time, for this, the structure must be checked and maintained periodically. Monitoring and maintenance practices are advancing in bridge construction. Online bridge health monitoring systems, using embedded strain gauges and photonic fiber optic sensors, are implemented to detect structural stress, cracks and deformations at an early stage, enabling proactive maintenance. Compliance with IRC codes ensures adherence to limit state design principles, covering ultimate strength, serviceability and accidental scenarios, thereby providing robust safety margins.
Transforming through technology
Technology is playing an increasingly transformative role in Indian bridge design, safety and construction. As adoption of technology takes place across sectors, similarly it has in bridge construction. Digital design tools such as building information modeling (BIM) and bridge information modeling (BrIM) are used to create detailed 3D digital twins, enhancing collaboration, reducing errors and optimising structural designs.
The use of BIM enables early identification of potential safety hazards by simulating construction sequences and logistics during the design phase. This foresight allows engineers to implement effective safety measures that protect workers and the public throughout the construction process. Similarly, the integration of BrIM enables efficient and fast parametric modeling that captures complex bridge geometries, terrain and alignments, reducing design errors and avoiding duplicated data entry. This leads to improved constructability and cost savings by enhancing quantity takeoffs and reducing rework. BrIM has been instrumental in complex projects such as the Chenab Rail Bridge, where it facilitated structural and wind resistance simulations, and other large-scale bridges where it optimised design, construction sequencing and lifecycle management.
Drones equipped with LiDAR and GPS are employed for site surveys, topographic mapping, progress monitoring and safety inspections, allowing access to hazardous or hard-to-reach areas and enhancing real-time decision-making. Geographic information systems (GIS) provide high-resolution aerial imagery for site surveys and construction progress monitoring, while integrating spatial data for better planning and logistics. Advanced traffic and safety management systems are now incorporated into modern bridges to detect hazards such as fog and speeding vehicles, further enhancing user safety.
The adoption of these technologies, alongside sustainable materials and methods, is helping India build safer, more advanced and resilient bridges.
Prioritising safety
The factor of safety has also become paramount throughout the design and construction process. Crash barriers and railings are mandated along bridge edges, with specific provisions to separate vehicular lanes from footpaths and cycle tracks, thereby protecting pedestrians. Structural components are positioned at safe distances from traffic, or are shielded, to minimise the risk of vehicle collisions with the bridge structure itself. Riding quality and structural integrity are enhanced by minimising expansion joints, favoring integral or continuous structures that improve durability and ease of use.
India has taken significant steps to enhance bridge safety across the board, especially in light of past incidents and the growing demands on its infrastructure. One notable example is the safety reforms implemented for the iconic Pamban Bridge in Tamil Nadu. After the Commission of Railway Safety identified lapses in the bridge’s construction, a series of reforms were mandated. These included strict adherence to the Indian Railways Steel Bridge Code, designing the bridge for a 100-year lifespan and annual traffic load, and establishing an advanced bridge research and monitoring center. Additionally, meticulous record-keeping of design, drawings and quality control was emphasised to ensure accountability and facilitate future maintenance.
In regions such as Bihar, where monsoon-related bridge collapses are a recurring concern, Indian Railways has intensified safety protocols. This includes round-the-clock monitoring by technical teams, special surveillance of bridges near rivers, and the installation of water measuring devices to provide early flood warnings. Emergency preparedness is also a priority, with regular patrols and the stockpiling of materials such as sandbags and stone chips to reinforce at-risk structures during heavy rains.
Operational safety measures are also in place for bridges identified as distressed or awaiting repair. Indian Railways imposes speed restrictions and increases monitoring to ensure the continued safety of trains and passengers until necessary rehabilitation is completed. Furthermore, safety assessments include seismic behavior analysis and site-specific precautions during construction, particularly in earthquake-prone areas.
Net, net
Collectively, these efforts demonstrate India’s multi-layered approach to bridge safety, combining regulatory oversight, technological monitoring, emergency protocols and systemic reforms. These efforts are designed to minimise risks, ensure long-term structural integrity, and protect public safety. All in all, bridge design and construction in India are governed by rigorous standards emphasising safety, durability, and environmental sustainability. The integration of advanced technologies such as BIM, sensor-based monitoring, drones and GIS is significantly improving the planning, execution and maintenance of bridges, ensuring efficient infrastructure development aligned with India’s growth ambitions. Developments in the space are also being actively incorporated to constantly improve the quality of construction. There are also constant attempts to make construction more sustainable and ecofriendly, through the use of modern techniques and materials.
