The objectives of national infrastructure policies and frameworks have begun transitioning towards infrastructure management aimed at longevity, resiliency and sustainability in the recent past. As India aspires to invest more than USD 1.5 trillion in infrastructure over the next decade, and compete with neighbouring nations like China for economic prosperity, it has become increasingly evident that the role of technologies are set to play a pivotal role in this journey. Integration of Geospatial solutions like LiDAR (point-cloud) and remote-sensing data alongside Building Information Modelling (BIM) have strengthened project delivery and asset management services associated with transport infrastructure including, Improve structural workflows, refined construction models, building performance (resilience index), and optimised design for asset longevity. Digitalization of project workflows and asset operations will dictate the future of transport infrastructure development and asset lifecycle management.

The Gati Shakti - National Master Plan for Multi-modal Connectivity aims to build a digital platform to bring 16 Ministries including Railways and Roadways together for integrated planning and coordinated implementation of infrastructure connectivity project. The masterplan will focus on incorporation of various infrastructure schemes for both Ministries and State Governments such as Bharatmala, Sagarmala, inland waterways, dry/land ports, UDAN etc.,. The analytical pillar of the Gati Shakti masterplan involves integration of multi-sectoral project data under one digital platform with GIS based spatial planning and analytical tools. On the other hand, the dynamic pillar focusses on advanced visualisation, review and monitoring the progress of through the GIS platform using remote-sensing data (among other Geospatial solutions).

The hilly regions are prone to extremes climatic conditions, challenging topography and hazardous terrains, and vast high-altitude areas. Aligning the highway in this case plays a key role in efficient and safe operation of vehicles through the hilly terrain. The following unique aspects for highway alignment through a hilly terrain have to be carefully assessed prior to the construction of the highway infrastructure:

a. Geometric standards

The geometric standards followed in hilly areas are significantly different from those in flat terrain. Hence, the decision on alignment should enable the ruling gradient to be attained in a minimum of the length, minimizing steep gradient, hairpin bends and needless rise and fall.

b. Stability of the slopes

Under hilly terrains, roads are required to be aligned through the side of the hill that is stable. As hilly areas are prone to landslides, excessive cutting and filling for road constructions give way to steepening of slopes which in turn will affect the stability.

Efficient use of digital project data to design, construct, inspect and record as-built conditions during the delivery of a infrastructure construction projects has improved productivity and helped stakeholders achieve increased returns. Presently, technology used for digital project delivery include 3D surveys (LiDAR etc.,.), 3D engineered models, automated machine guided construction equipment, mobile devices and GIS applications, paperless workflows, and more recently unmanned aircraft vehicles (UAVs) commonly known as drones. The application of these technologies has helped stakeholders present accurate models for contract plans and construction applications. Also, the digital as-built records in form of type of asset, dimensions, manufacturer, and date of installation catalogued in GIS alongside their respective GPS coordinates enables sustainable asset infrastructure management and operations.

Accurate geographic information captured efficiently in a live rail environment can generate near real-time data which can be integrated with BIM for development of automated digital workflow. Such digital workflow can support engineers to capture accurate geo-located data. For instance, engineers in the field can assess electrical assets, their condition and compliance with standards. Positioning system solutions with high-end GPS data can ensure sub-metre accuracy for the locations of assets in the field. Also, this facilitates engineers to observe safety issues, such as an exposed wire, which can be sent directly to the Health & Safety division. The data collected in this regard can be automatically backed up and used to generates regular reports.

The advent of digitalization of project workflows has required contractors - one of the key stakeholders of the transport infrastructure value-chain, to take notice of the constant upgradation of technological application and the skills required to produce, manage and operate digital project information. Global construction industry have gradually transitioned to collaborations & interactions through digital technologies from plan & design stage to build, operate and maintenance stages. This has resulted in demand for improved contractor competency in the form of technical skills, equipment functioning, and planning & scheduling across the project lifecycle. The following aspects of the project lifecycle demand contractors to incorporate digitalised solutions:

a. Program & Project Management

Under project management, contractors needs to merge location data and scheduling processes into graphical interface indicative of time and distance. This helps reduce on-site scheduling risks, thereby improving project resilience and decreased project uncertainties. Digitalised project management eliminates rework with a single-system of record Integrating progress reporting, RFIs and submittals with owner and other stakeholders. Also, digitalization of project management enables tracking time of on site of personnel and their respective activities to .

b. Construction Planning & Delivery

During the building stage of the project, the construction management processes include planning, scheduling and delivery of phase-wise components. In this case, it’s important to validate billing and progress payments in order to reduce project cost discrepancies. Hence, digital platforms capable of tracking, monitoring and validating such payments are key to curtailing project cost overruns during the construction phase. Another crucial digital solution is the automated fabrication with constructible models which helps negate manual errors from design-to-execution stage, and this subsequently reduces the number of reworks. Virtual inspection of the progress of heavy equipment with automated reporting is considered equally crucial to avoid mismanagement and damage.

Government of India has signed an agreement worth USD 500 millions of projects with the World Bank, to develop the Green National Highways Corridor Project (GNHCP) across 781 km in four states – Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh. The plan is to construct five-six ‘green and safe national highways’ – which have been divided into 23 stretches – as part of the corridor. The first stretch of green highway being built under the GNHCP is expected to be completed by December 2021 in Rajasthan. The entire project is expected to be completed by the end of the 2023-2024 financial year.

The USP of a green highway is in its construction. Compared to a normal highway, a ‘green highway’ uses greener construction technologies. The green techniques to be adopted includes plenty of approaches and techniques aimed at reducing construction waste, conserve natural resources and reduce GHG emissions, it also involves designing for resilience to climate change impacts. Such projects aim to provide support to improve road safety data analytics and highway safety monitoring and implementation. Incorporation of geographic intelligence systems aimed at tracking and monitoring highway infrastructure assets, as well as generate near real-time analytics of asset challenges will support these objectives of green & safe highway infrastructure management.

The role of transport infrastructure in planned place-making and growth of urban and non-urban regions have gained significance in the recent past. For instance, Under the Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor (DMIC), four greenfield industrial smart cities or nodes are being developed in the states of Maharashtra, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, and Uttar Pradesh, and major trunk infrastructure works have already been completed. Government of India’s industrial corridor programme’s main objective is to develop greenfield smart industrial cities with sustainable ‘plug n play’ ICT-enabled utilities in order to facilitate the manufacturing investments into the country by offering quality, sustainable, reliable as well as resilient infrastructure for the industries.

Recently, there has been a surge in GIS-based masterplan under Amrut for both Urban Local Bodies (ULB) and Local Planning Authorities (LPA). Similarly, there are newly introduced industrial corridor projects which have undertaken a GIS-based approach for their respective masterplan. The GIS-based approach focusses on preparation of masterplan based on detailed analysis of urban sprawl, study of existing land use, assessment for future needs, determination of suitability of available land for various activities/uses, planning of new road links, reserving land for public facilities and services, zoning and framing suitable development promotion and control regulations.

The integration of Geospatial technologies and location data with BIM, frontier technologies (AR/ VR) and simulation solutions opens up the path to the virtual world of tunnelling projects. 3D representations created using these integrated solutions helps engineers to optimally prepare themselves for the conditions of a real-world tunnel. Integrated Geospatial and BIM solutions can also facilitate various simulation programs, comprehensive testing of automation services and run scenarios to develop approaches to undertake different operations and maintenance services.

Integrated geographic information system (GIS) and building information modelling (BIM) solutions facilitate a data-driven approach to project life cycle management, which is crucial for sustainable project outcomes. An integrated GIS and BIM platform enables single-source of truth for project information from multiple data platforms, and establishes quick sharing facilities among the stakeholders involved. Also, the integrated system supports assessment of project workflows, seamless data exchange, and the ability to share with interoperable capabilities which are imperative for project goals such as reducing delays, costs, and reworks.

Hydrographical measurements include the tidal, current and wave information. They also include bottom measurements, with particular emphasis on those marine geographical features that pose a hazard to navigation such as rocks, shoals, reefs and other features that obstruct ship passage. Bottom measurements also include collection of the nature of the bottom as it pertains to effective anchoring. Geospatial technologies can assist the processes involved in dredging operation, dredging volume calculation and channel designing, laying out of navigation buoys and River Information System. These assessments of the waterways are crucial for establishing infrastructure assets required for seamless functioning of the waterway networks.

Construction stakeholders have realised the value brought by 3D scanning technology and have begun using the tool throughout the project lifecycle. The 3D scanning solutions helps reduce and eliminate project mistakes and speeding up the project timeline. Some of the benefits of the 3D scanning technologies for contractors include:

a. Up-to-date and accurate site measurements

Inaccurate site measurements can cause costly project challenges. This sets the project on a crash course towards unforeseen additional costs and timeline delays from day one. Verifying the site at the beginning of the preconstruction phase with 3D scanning gives the project’s engineering and design teams the as-built documentation they need to avoid costly mistakes down the line.

b. Remote coordination

The 3D scanning solution’s capabilities also include virtual tour, which allows project stakeholders to visit the site whenever needed. Being able to visit sites virtually is valuable, considering current events and travel restrictions.

c. Clash detection

The data granularity of site provided by 3D scanning helps with beyond planning and design. 3D scanning also assists in preventing design-to-execution errors. With an up-to-date and accurate site plan, construction activities are less likely to conflict with one another. Each construction activity can use the scan to communicate and coordinate instead of drafting in isolation from one another. Using the 3D scan as an as-built allows costly clashes to be identified and corrected.