By 2047, AI will “transform” India’s roads into intelligent, adaptive and sustainable networks that drive growth, safety and net zero goals, according to a new report from KPMG
Under the Viksit Bharat strategy, the Indian government has set a goal of becoming a globally competitive, technologically advanced, socially inclusive and environmentally sustainable nation by 2047 to mark 100 years of independence.
The report, AI-Powered Road Infrastructure Transformation – Roads 2047, notes that achieving this goal will require growth of 8%-10% over the next two decades.
It adds that remarkable progress has already been made, with India’s national highway network doubling in size between 2000 and 2024, and the country now boasting the second largest road network in the world, thanks to projects such as the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway (pictured).
AI and the arteries of economic growth
While roads have always been the “arteries of economic growth”, the report says that the challenges of the 21st century, such as rapid urbanisation, climate change, congestion, safety, growing logistical costs and the sheer scale of infrastructure required, demand a move beyond conventional construction and development methods.
Embracing innovation, sustainability and intelligent systems will be key to building roads that truly reflect the ambition and resilience of a futuristic India, it states.
Artificial intelligence (AI) offers an opportunity to redefine how roads are conceived, planned, built, managed and optimised, it adds.
Integrated with digital twins, IoT-enabled sensors, GIS, BIM and computer vision, AI can “transform roads from static infrastructure into dynamic, intelligent systems that learn and adapt in real-time”.
Realising AI-enabled infrastructure
With the full realisation of an AI-enabled infrastructure vision, India’s road infrastructure industry can significantly reduce construction delays and enhance project quality through intelligent, automated construction systems.
Intelligent traffic management, toll automation, road condition assessment and predictive maintenance systems can ensure roads remain efficient throughout their design life.
Predictive safety technologies can help lower road fatalities, while AI-driven planning can support alignment of road infrastructure’s carbon footprint with the country’s Net Zero 2070 commitments.
By 2047, roads must be celebrated not just for their vast reach in kilometres, but for their intelligence, resilience, and purpose, standing as a beacon of the nation’s progress and ambition, the report states.
It concludes that fuelling this momentum will require an “ecosystem” of enabling policies, institutional frameworks and strategic partnership that can effectively steer, regulate and scale innovation across the road infrastructure landscape.
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