NHAI Issues Guidelines for Tech-Driven Maintenance Practices

The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has issued comprehensive guidelines introducing mechanised and technology-driven maintenance practices across National Highways and Expressways. Announced through a press release dated June 9, 2026, the initiative seeks to modernise highway asset management by institutionalising mechanised road maintenance equipment, including automatic pothole filling, compacting & patching machines and mechanised road sweeping machines.

As part of its monsoon preparedness measures, NHAI has mandated the use of mechanised cleaning systems for lined drainage networks in urban and built-up highway stretches. The prescribed maintenance framework requires the integrated deployment of High-Flow Super Suction and Jetting Units, Hydraulic Grab Machines and Dewatering Pump Sets for dewatering, removal of accumulated silt and debris, and cleaning of drainage channels. Mechanised drain cleaning will be incorporated as a mandatory requirement in future operation and maintenance contracts for urban National Highway sections.

NHAI has also directed contractors and concessionaires to adhere strictly to prescribed maintenance programmes and inspection schedules for drainage infrastructure. Compliance with specified timelines for rectification of drainage-related deficiencies will be closely monitored, reflecting a greater emphasis on preventive maintenance and timely asset preservation.

In a parallel initiative, NHAI has issued guidelines for the deployment of automatic pothole filling, compacting & patching machines and mechanised road sweeping machines under performance-based maintenance contracts (PBMCs). The framework establishes a mechanism for assessing and approving the costs associated with deploying such technologies in ongoing and future maintenance contracts, thereby facilitating their wider adoption across the National Highway network.

The automated pothole repair systems are expected to accelerate pavement maintenance, reduce response times and minimise inconvenience to road users, while mechanised road sweeping systems will improve corridor cleanliness, enhance visibility, strengthen road safety and reduce dust-related pollution. Similar technologies have already been deployed on projects including the Varanasi-Aurangabad National Highway, the Handia-Rajatalab National Highway, and several highway projects in Haryana, Punjab and Gujarat.

These guidelines represent a significant shift towards technology-enabled asset management and outcome-based maintenance. The incorporation of mechanised maintenance as a contractual obligation is likely to increase operational compliance requirements for concessionaires and maintenance contractors while promoting preventive maintenance, reducing lifecycle costs and preserving the long-term value and serviceability of highway assets.