New Delhi, May 22: National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Norwegian Geotechnical Institute (NGI) to strengthen technical expertise in tunnel engineering, slope stability assessment and capacity building for national highway infrastructure projects in India.
The agreement was signed recently in Oslo and is aimed at enhancing the planning, design, assessment and monitoring of critical highway infrastructure, particularly in geologically sensitive and challenging terrains.
According to an official statement, the collaboration seeks to leverage NGI’s internationally recognised expertise in geotechnical engineering and natural hazard mitigation to support the development and maintenance of India’s national highways to global standards.
Under the MoU, NGI will provide consultancy support in areas including site characterization for tunnel projects, preparation of feasibility studies and Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) for upcoming tunnel works, structural assessment and safety audits of operational tunnels, and advanced slope stability analysis.
The agreement also includes monitoring of vulnerable slopes, identification of potential geotechnical hazards and recommendations for mitigation measures. In addition, the collaboration will involve analysis and interpretation of InSAR data for slopes and development of early warning systems to improve infrastructure safety.
Officials said the MoU also places significant emphasis on institutional capacity building and knowledge exchange. Both organisations will collaborate on research and development initiatives related to reduction of natural hazards and strengthening engineering practices in the highway sector.
As part of the partnership, joint workshops, seminars, technical training programmes and publication of specialised technical literature will be undertaken to enhance technical capabilities in the sector.
The arrangement will remain non-exclusive, allowing both organisations to independently collaborate with other entities on a project-to-project basis. The MoU will remain valid for a period of five years.
The collaboration is expected to strengthen India’s capabilities in developing safe, sustainable and world-class highway infrastructure while also deepening cooperation between India and Norway in infrastructure development, sustainable engineering and technology exchange.
