NHAI to use Artificial Intelligence in data driven decision making

New Delhi: National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi (IIT-Delhi) on Thursday for setting up a Centre of Excellence (CoE) for Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in data-driven decision making and advance data management system for Highways. In this regard, an MoU has been signed in presence of NHAI's Chairman Dr Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and IIT-Delhi's Director Dr V Ram Gopal Rao Director and other senior officials. This information has been shared by the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways in a press release on Thursday.

Under this partnership, IIT-Delhi will work with NHAI on developing advance analytics based on AI and ML, prepare simulation models, enhance data storage and retrieval capacities to further strengthen NHAI's capabilities in data-driven decision making.  The collaboration will be undertaken on the identified thrust areas like the project management and data management, highway network traffic demand and incident management, highway safety, highway work-zone management, highway pavement management system. IIT Delhi will also give inputs for NHAI data management policy.

As a part of the arrangement, IIT Delhi will provide space and infrastructural facility support to house the CoE along with providing scientific and technical expertise to extend research facilities at par with academic activities of the Institute. Efforts will also be made to attract students and research scholars for setting up start-ups and incubators on different transportation and highways related research solutions. NHAI, on the other hand, will provide critical data support and necessary access to its information resources including the data software, 'Data Lake'. NHAI will also extend the required financial support to carry out research and various activities at the proposed CoE.

The operations at the CoE for advance data management system for highways shall be governed and managed by a two-tier management structure. An advisory board will be the highest-level committee mentoring the activities of the collaborative platform including initiation, continuation of work, approval of joint collaborative projects and suggest mechanisms to achieve the desired objectives. It shall also monitor the activities being undertaken and shall review the overall progress. At the 2nd tier, a coordination committee will be constituted for overall coordination and timely progress. The coordination committee will be chaired by the Dean R&D, IIT Delhi, co-chaired by a senior official from the NHAI and will comprise of expert members from academic and research institutes. A professor will also be appointed as a coordinator of the centre by the IIT Delhi.

This arrangement is set to remain in effect for over a period of five years and is expected to bring out highly effective digitized systems on which the NHAI will thrive. This partnership will fuel advancement in various fields related to the new age data-driven traffic and construction management systems for highways that will not just benefit NHAI but the entire nation at large.

The advance AI-based Data Analytics of highways and traffic pattern at CoE will facilitate in data-driven decision making at the national level.

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