New Delhi, October 15, 2026: The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has introduced a uniform mechanism for independent checking of designs and drawings of major bridges and other critical structures being built under National Highway projects. The initiative aims to improve structural safety, construction quality and durability across the country’s highway network.
Under the new policy, designs of identified critical structures will be independently checked by empanelled Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs), reputed government technical institutions and experienced technical firms specialising in bridge engineering and hydraulic studies.
The initiative is intended to identify potential design-related issues at an early stage and ensure compliance with applicable Indian Roads Congress (IRC) codes, technical specifications and contractual requirements.
Which structures will be covered?
The policy will cover major bridges and viaducts, including major river bridges with a design discharge of 3,000 cubic metres per second or more. It will also apply to bridges and other structures with an individual effective span of 40 metres or more.
Other special, complex or critical structures identified by NHAI will also be brought under the independent verification mechanism.
The checking process will include structural design calculations, structural analysis and design drawings. Wherever applicable, it will also cover hydrological and hydraulic studies to assess water flow, flood levels, the adequacy of waterway openings and the safety of foundations against river-bed erosion.
How will independent design verification work?
Under the revised procedure, the contractor or concessionaire will submit the design and drawings for review or approval, as required under the contract.
Following this, three institutions or technical firms will be proposed from NHAI’s empanelled list. Depending on the project requirements, one or more of these institutions or firms will be selected to carry out independent verification.
The selected institution or firm will examine the design independently and submit its observations and recommendations. The contractor or concessionaire will then consider these observations and make the necessary design modifications, wherever required.
The design will subsequently be reviewed or approved by NHAI in accordance with the applicable contractual provisions.
When will the policy come into effect?
The new policy will come into effect on December 1, 2026. It will apply to all new National Highway projects undertaken under the Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC), Hybrid Annuity Model (HAM) and Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) models.
It will also cover projects in which design verification or proof checking has not yet commenced.
However, projects where design verification or proof checking has already been completed will generally remain outside the scope of the policy. Additional independent verification may nevertheless be undertaken for major bridges and complex or critical special structures.
Through this initiative, NHAI aims to establish a consistent quality-assurance mechanism for critical National Highway structures, with a focus on improving structural reliability and supporting the development of safer and more durable highway infrastructure across India.