Road Management in India From Reactive to Data-Driven

Sachin Gowda, Senior Scientist, CSIR–Central Road Research Institute (CRRI), New Delhi, examines the urgent need to shift India’s road sector from reactive maintenance to data-driven asset management amid a rapidly expanding network. He outlines the importance of scaling Road Asset Management Systems (RAMS), key implementation challenges, and the technological and policy measures needed to enable long-term, performance-driven and sustainable infrastructure management.

Indian Roads: A Story of Scale and Strain

India’s road network, extending over 6.63 million kilometres, stands among the second largest in the world and serves as the backbone of the nation’s transport system. It carries nearly 85% of passenger traffic and over 70% of freight, making the system indispensable for economic growth, regional connectivity, and social development.

However, beneath this impressive scale lies a growing challenge: rapid motorization, increasing axle loads, and climate-induced stresses such as heavy rainfall, flooding, and temperature variations which are accelerating pavement deterioration. At the same time, maintenance funding remains limited and often reactive. As a result, roads frequently experience premature distress, inconsistent service levels, and escalating repair costs. This situation highlights a critical concern: while India continues to expand its road network, the management of existing assets has not kept pace with the demands placed upon them.

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