New Delhi: The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has issued comprehensive guidelines for the planning and design of high-speed access-controlled national highways, excluding expressways, with a focus on technology integration, smoother tolling, improved drainage and greener infrastructure.
The guidelines will apply to all upcoming four- and six-lane Greenfield and Brownfield high-speed access-controlled national highways.
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Under the new framework, traffic planning will be based on comprehensive assessments of existing and diverted traffic as well as projected growth in freight movement linked to economic and commercial activity. Toll data and other reliable sources will also be used to improve the accuracy of traffic projections.
The guidelines also provide for greater use of modern technology during highway construction. Automated and Intelligent Machine-aided Construction (AI-MC) technology will be used for construction of embankments and highway pavements in accordance with applicable Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) guidelines.
The guidelines also provide for provisions to facilitate a shift towards Multi Lane Free Flow (MLFF)** tolling on high-speed corridors, in line with the government's plans for technology-enabled toll collection.
Environmental measures have also been incorporated at the planning stage. Landscaping and plantation will be planned at suitable locations, including loop areas, below flyovers and medians, based on local climate, topography and environmental conditions.
Drip irrigation systems will be provided on highway medians to improve water-use efficiency and facilitate maintenance of plantations.
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The new guidelines also make comprehensive drainage planning an integral part of the Detailed Project Report (DPR) process. Project planning will identify rainwater disposal points and arrangements for managing water from the highway as well as surrounding areas.
Water harvesting structures will be provided in loop areas and other suitable locations, particularly where there is no natural outlet for rainwater.
Special drainage arrangements will also be made around underpasses, flyovers, depressed medians and other structures to minimise waterlogging and protect highway infrastructure.
According to an official statement, the guidelines are aimed at making high-speed national highway corridors safer, more sustainable and better prepared for future traffic and infrastructure requirements.
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