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6/25/24, 3:44 PM How tech can change transportation challenges - Construction Week India
year of construction. This situation is often due to the use of poor-quality materials and execution-related
issues. According to CareEdge Ratings, there may be a 7% to 10% slowdown in this year’s national highway
development rate in India due to execution challenges, despite a healthy uptick.

The existing infrastructure is ignored and poorly maintained, which multiplies costs in the long term and
adds to the deterioration. As this infrastructure ages, maintenance also becomes a relevant concern. For
instance, the Pragati Maidan Tunnel—which aimed to provide hassle-free and seamless connectivity between
Central, Southeast, and New Delhi—was found to have water seepage issues, large cracks in the
cement/concrete, and poor drainage.

Often, the adoption of new and improved technology is not fast enough, leading to a lack of effectiveness and
proper quality. The most efficient way to combat these infrastructure issues would be to adopt modern
construction technologies.

In India, there is a dire need for modern construction infrastructure that is sustainable and innovative. The
industry is at a crossroads, and a better path can be chosen by adopting new and improved technology and
materials. The key to becoming an environmentally conscious, economically robust, and effective industry
lies in adapting to these advancements and developments. To aid the nation’s journey towards urbanization,
the construction sector must adapt and overcome to manage the needs of the 21st century. Adopting new raw
materials and improved technology is no longer merely a choice, but a necessity.

Sustainability
Within the scope of any repairs or expansions, mitigating climate change is a pressing concern. Amid a global
push to design new green transportation infrastructure, it’s important not to forget maintenance and repairs.
Retrofits and new construction should prioritize sustainability by utilizing alternative/greener building
materials so existing infrastructure can become more resilient to the impacts of climate change. Moreover,
it’s important to ensure that repair or retrofit processes do not themselves lead to negative environmental
impacts. Right now, construction accounts for 70% of global emissions, so new sustainable methods and
capabilities are sorely needed.
Optimization
Any transportation infrastructure upgrade, whether it’s roads, bridges, rail, tunnels, or waterways, shares a
singular goal—to safely optimize the flow of people and goods. At the same time, this flow is something of a
moving target–it is inherently dynamic, driven by environmental, geographic, government regulatory, and
economic factors. Ultimately, transportation infrastructure upgrades need to incorporate and account for
these factors to create effective networks—and when much of our infrastructure is nearly 80 years old, we’re
playing catch-up.

Digital transformation
Transportation infrastructure needs both structural updates and technological updates. The manual
processes upon which these systems need to operate can and should be replaced with automation. However,
the transportation sector has been conservative in its adaptation and implementation, despite nearly
everyone agreeing that this type of conversion is essential for economic growth. Digital technologies can not
only improve transportation, helping to move and connect people and goods more efficiently, but also
ameliorate the environmental footprint of these networks. Broad implementation of new technologies is a
must.

Innovative solutions
The good news is that technological solutions are emerging to facilitate the kinds of systemic improvements
that the Indian transportation sector needs. Infrastructure digital twins can be used to create simulations of
physical assets, such as bridges, roads, or tunnels, and replicate various scenarios to help planners, engineers
and builders see opportunities or potential hiccups. These simulations can also predict maintenance needs,
safety hazards, and energy inefficiencies, identifying areas where improvements are needed. Infrastructure
digital twin capabilities can collect and merge often-siloed datasets and workflows, incorporating information
from disparate sources to support data-driven decision-making that yields cost, time, and environmental
savings.
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