In a major move to significantly enhance structural safety, improve design reliability, and minimize long-term operational risks for national infrastructure, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) is set to establish a nationwide institutional framework for the design vetting of critical bridge projects. According to the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, this initiative aims to ensure that major bridges, which are designed for a service life of 100 years or more, undergo rigorous independent technical reviews before construction begins. To achieve this, NHAI will empanel Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) and other premier technical institutions to conduct independent proof checking of hydraulic studies and designs for major bridge structures across all new National Highway projects.

The comprehensive review process will encompass detailed evaluations of structural design calculations, engineering drawings, construction methodologies, geotechnical investigations, and hydraulic studies. Around 12 IITs, including IIT Delhi, IIT Bombay, IIT Roorkee, and IIT Kharagpur, alongside several other technical institutions, have already expressed their willingness to collaborate with the NHAI to strengthen quality assurance practices and promote better design and execution.