Theexpressways we build today will define India’s mobility, economy, and climatefuture for decades. The focus now, writes DheerajPanda, must be on deepening innovation, institutionalising standards, andembedding resilience.

“India'snext expressway initiative needs to go beyond simply meeting internationalstandards to really setting them. Future-ready infrastructure means buildingwith foresight for electric, autonomous, and connected mobility systems.”

-         DheerajPanda,

ManagingDirector,

AmmannIndia.

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Withover 2,000 km of expressways and 12,349 km of national highways constructed inFY 2023–24 alone, the country is executing at a scale and speed that is redefiningglobal benchmarks in road infrastructure delivery. The long-term vision isclear: a 200,000 km national highway network by 2047, aligned with economicgrowth, regional connectivity, and future mobility requirements. However, as the scale accelerates, it is more crucialthan ever to complement it with sustainable and precision-driven execution.

Engineering precision for modern mobility

Modernexpressways must now perform as critical national assets. Designed forhigh-speed, high-axle-load vehicular movement, these roads need to deliverconsistent ride quality while enduring extreme climatic zones, soilvariability, and aggressive delivery timelines. This calls for a shift fromconventional civil execution to system-led infrastructure engineering.

Today’shighways are built with a 20–30-year design life, leveraging layered structuralengineering to minimise rutting and fatigue. Use of GPS-guided pavers, automatedgrading systems, and tight adherence to International Roughness Index (IRI)levels below 2.5 m/km ensure geometry-controlled, lane-perfect surfaces thatreduce maintenance cycles and enhance vehicular safety.

Sustainability and material innovation

Thechange in materials science is equally significant. The emphasis has movedtoward sustainability without sacrificing performance.

Reclaimedasphalt pavement (RAP), fly ash in sub-base layers, and construction waste andsteel slag are examples of industrial by-products that are increasingly beingused. Not only do these reduce the consumption of virgin materials andemissions but they also localize supply chains, cutting logistical delays andcosts.

Thisemphasis on recycling and reuse aligns with India’s broader environmentalcommitments. As the country moves toward its Net Zero 2070 goals, highwayprojects are being assessed not only for execution timelines. Increasingly,they are also evaluated for carbon efficiency across the lifecycle, fromsourcing and construction to maintenance and eventual repurposing.

Integrating digital infrastructure and predictiveintelligence

Alongsidephysical assets, India is building a new layer of digital infrastructure thatenhances transparency, quality, and asset life. Drone-based topographicalsurveys, LiDAR scanning, and Building Information Modelling (BIM) are nowstandard in highway design and planning.

Real-timedata gathered from embedded sensors helps monitor temperature gradients, vehicularloading, and material stress, allowing for predictive maintenance, lowerlifecycle costs, and reduced disruptions. These technologies enhancetransparency, improve asset performance, and future-proof criticalinfrastructure against rising demands.

Skilling the workforce for a tech-driven future

Theautomation of highway construction requires parallel transformation inworkforce capabilities. Operators today must be proficient in sensor-integratedmachinery, real-time data interpretation, and AI-led quality systems.

Thetransition from labour-intensive to digitally intensive infrastructuredevelopment demands a new generation of skilled technicians and engineers. Here,corporates in the infrastructure space have a pivotal role to play.

AtAmmann India, for instance, we are investing in in-house training academy, OEM-ledprograms, and field-based knowledge transfer to equip operators and engineerswith the skills required to work on GPS-enabled pavers, intelligent compactionequipment, and automated asphalt plants. Collaborative models involvinggovernment skill councils, private training partners, and equipmentmanufacturers can accelerate talent development at scale.

Beyondtechnical proficiency, companies must also drive digital literacy, safetytraining, and quality consciousness, essentials in a sector where humanoversight remains as critical as machine precision. By embedding workforce developmentinto the value chain, whether through joint skilling initiatives, internships,vendor upskilling, or community outreach, corporates can help bridge the skillgap, future-proof the industry, and ensure India’s expressways are built andmaintained by a highly competent, tech-capable workforce.

Proven innovations in action

Indiahas already begun laying the groundwork for next-generation highways usingmodern techniques and indigenous innovations. The integration of recycledmaterials into highway layers, adoption of high-capacity paving and compactionequipment with GPS and automated controls, and enhanced quality controlmeasures are creating expressways that are smoother, more durable, andenvironmentally conscious.

Similarly,the use of data-driven monitoring, sensor-based feedback loops for maintenance,and drones for aerial mapping are increasingly standard on major nationalprojects. The industry has also made progress in transitioning from reactive topredictive maintenance models, especially on economic corridors andfreight-intensive routes.

Thesedevelopments mark a significant evolution from the conventional approach,positioning India among the most dynamic infrastructure ecosystems globally.

Future-proofing India’s expressways

India'snext expressway initiative needs to go beyond simply meeting internationalstandards to really setting them. Future-ready infrastructure means buildingwith foresight for electric, autonomous, and connected mobility systems.

Theintegration of EV infrastructure into expressways, such as high-speed chargingbays every 40 to 60 kilometres is still at a nascent stage and must be rapidlyscaled. Dynamic lane management systems, already common in advanced economies,could greatly improve traffic flow on congested corridors by enabling flexiblelane reallocation in real time.

Moreover,road design must embed climate resilience from the start. This includesmandatory carbon accounting, stormwater harvesting, and using climate-adaptivematerials that can endure flooding, heatwaves, and soil erosion. These are notjust environmental imperatives but they are economic safeguards.

Equallyimportant is building expressways as economic corridors, with logistics hubs,multimodal linkages, and industrial zones integrated into planning frameworks. Roadsmust serve not only commuters but also supply chains, local economies, andcross-border trade.

Inconclusion, the groundwork has been laid. The focus now must be on deepeninginnovation, institutionalising standards, and embedding resilience. Theexpressways we build today will define India’s mobility, economy, and climatefuture for decades. Every kilometre must deliver more than just connectivity — itmust deliver progress.