Lok Sabha Question No. 3570 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-08-10
Subject: Innovations in Road Construction
Ministry: ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS
Asked by: Ajay Kumar Mandal

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3570 ANSWERED ON 10 th  AUGUST, 2023

## INNOVATIONS IN ROAD CONSTRUCTION

3570. SHRI AJAY KUMAR MANDAL:

Will the Minister of ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS

सड़क परिवहन औि िाजमार्ग मंत्री

## be pleased to state:

- (a) the innovations in road construction prescribed by MoRTH, NHAI;
- (b) whether all the agencies engaged in road construction are following the said innovations/guidelines and if so, the details thereof;
- (c)  whether  the  said  innovations  are  being  violated  at  many places and if so, the action taken thereon;
- (d)  whether road safety audit during road construction works are mandatory and if so, the details thereof;
- (e) the action proposed to be taken in case the road construction agencies do not conduct road safety audit;
- (f) the details of power/term of reference and functions of the Member  of  Parliament's  Road  Safety  Committee  at  district level;
- (g) whether this committee can ask for road safety audit of the project under construction by MoRTH, NHAI, NH and if so, the details thereof; and
- (h)  whether  the  committee  can  take  departmental  action  if road safety audit is not done under the project and if so, the
- details thereof?

## ANSWER THE MINISTER OF ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS (SHRI NITIN JAIRAM GADKARI)

- (a)  to  (c)  Innovations in materials & construction process for road construction is a continuous process. Based on International best practices and outcome of indigenous research, new  standards/guidelines are framed  by Indian Roads Congress (IRC) and existing standards/guidelines of IRC are amended from time to time. MoRTH/NHAI have also issued policy  guidelines  on  certain  innovative  materials/processes. Further  new/innovative  materials  are  accredited  by  IRC.  All such materials and processes as allowed by IRC standards/guidelines, International Standards such as American  Association  of  State  Highway  and  Transportation Officials (AASHTO), American Society for Testing of Materials (ASTM),  Euro  Codes,  British  Codes  as  well  as  materials accredited by IRC are allowed in National Highways Projects. NH  Projects  are  generally  implemented  on  EPC/HAM/BOT modes  where  contractor/concessionaire  carry  out  their  own design in accordance with applicable manual, standards/guidelines/codes etc. and then these are reviewed/approved by AE/IE before its actual use in the Project.
- (d) to (e) Road Safety Audit (RSA) is an essential  part  of any National Highway development project. RSA is carried out at different stages namely  during design, construction and before issue of   completion  certificate of the project .
- (f) to (h) Ministry vide its Notification No. RT-25043/03/2017-RS dated  19.12.2019  has  created  Member  of  Parliaments'  Road Safety  Committee  in  each  district  of  the  country  under  the Chairmanship  of  Hon'ble  Member  of  Parliament  (Lok  Sabha) from the district. The terms of reference (ToR) of the Committee include monitoring of road safety activities, monitoring of road accidents data, reviewing and monitoring of identification  &  rectification  of  black  spots,  promoting  road safety campaign etc.

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