Highways may get traffic 'road test' before launch

Delhi is considering conducting trial runs of new highway sections before officially launching them, following reports of cracks, potholes, premature failures, rutting and other deficiencies. The government is contemplating allowing normal traffic on the stretches for two to three months to identify any issues before the formal inauguration, according to Dipak Dash.

Officials revealed that trial runs are typically only conducted after all work and safety audits are completed. The idea was discussed during a meeting chaired by road transport minister Nitin Gadkari, which reviewed progress on the Delhi-Mumbai expressway project. There have been instances in the past of extended trial runs on highways, including sections of the Delhi-Amritsar-Katra expressway and the Dwarka Expressway tunnel before their inauguration.

An official explained that identifying and resolving settlement, rutting, or drainage problems during the trial run is crucial, especially during the monsoon season. Tolling on highway stretches usually commences only after official inauguration, and contractors are bound to rectify all deficiencies within the defect liability period.

Transport minister Gadkari directed officials from NHAI, contractors, and consultants to improve construction quality to prevent any deficiencies from depriving people of the promised facilities. Past instances include major deficiencies in national and state highways, such as the Lucknow-Kanpur and Dehradun expressways, where tolling was suspended for affected stretches after the Prime Minister, central ministers, or chief ministers inaugurated them.