New Delhi, Dec 30: In a significant move aimed at improving the quality and durability of national highways, the National Test House (NTH) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) to strengthen quality assurance mechanisms in highway construction and infrastructure projects across the country.
The initiative is expected to bolster safety, durability and performance of national highways, aligning with the government’s broader objective of developing robust, world-class infrastructure and addressing long-standing concerns over construction quality in major road projects, including in challenging regions such as Jammu & Kashmir.
The MoU was signed at the NHAI headquarters in New Delhi in the presence of Additional Secretary, Department of Consumer Affairs, Bharat Khera; NHAI Chairman Santosh Kumar Yadav; and Director General, National Test House, Alok Kumar Srivastava, along with senior officials from both organisations.
Under the agreement, NTH will function as a recognised testing and inspection agency for NHAI, providing third-party quality assurance for materials and works related to national highway projects. Samples from highway construction and allied works will be tested at NTH’s network of laboratories and satellite centres located in Ghaziabad, Kolkata, Mumbai, Chennai, Jaipur, Guwahati, Bengaluru and Varanasi.
As per the arrangement, NTH will deliver scientific, impartial and time-bound test results through its online Management Information System (MIS) as well as physical reports. The collaboration also includes provisions for online test requests, digital payments, coordinated workflows through designated nodal officers, and the participation of NTH experts in NHAI’s technical committees.
The MoU further envisages joint capacity-building initiatives, including training programmes and workshops for NHAI officials. NTH will also assist in strengthening testing facilities within NHAI laboratories wherever required, contributing to enhanced quality assurance across highway projects.
Established in 1912, the National Test House functions under the Department of Consumer Affairs, Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, and serves as a premier scientific testing and quality assurance institution in the country. Officials said the collaboration would significantly improve transparency, standardisation and reliability in highway construction.
