The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has developed a home-grown AI-powered tool called Margsarthi, which is now enabling its more than 1,000 officers to detect discrepancies in contract documents, detailed project reports (DPRs), and minutes of meetings within minutes. What previously took days can now be accomplished in a jiffy, significantly improving decision-making processes.
How Margsarthi Works
The tool, described as a “gated garden,” operates within NHAI’s secure domain without accessing the open internet. It not only identifies discrepancies but also flags provisions that could potentially trigger disputes and litigation, suggesting corrective actions. The system analyzes defects, identifies faulty signage, synthesizes learnings from past arbitration cases, and predicts project delays based on NHAI’s extensive document repository.
Chairman’s Vision
NHAI Chairman Santosh Kumar Yadav explained the rationale behind the tool: “During a workflow study of project directors and regional officers last year, we realized they were engaged in numerous tasks that could be easily automated using AI. With Margsarthi, officials can now check highway defects by simply uploading a photo. The system quickly scans hundreds of guidelines, codes, notifications, and specifications to deliver results.”
Officials noted that the tool can also send personalized WhatsApp messages to alert officers about issues requiring priority attention. Yadav added that NHAI is now considering granting access to the AI tool to consultants and contractors, provided safeguards are in place to prevent misuse of the authority’s information.
Impact on Disputes and Arbitration
Senior NHAI officials expressed surprise at the tool’s ability to flag contradictory decisions or observations within the same project, as well as discrepancies in document references. “This is helping us immensely and is likely to reduce the risk of disputes and arbitrations in future projects when we use the tool to assess a project report before bidding,” an official said.
NHAI is one of the few government entities with the highest number of contracts and disputes, amounting to over Rs 1 lakh crore. The introduction of Margsarthi is expected to streamline operations and mitigate legal challenges.
