Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) plans to centralise the National Bridge Health Monitoring Software

¨     Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) plans to centralise the National Bridge Health Monitoring Software.

¨     The initiative will be implemented with the support of Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras and the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC).

¨     The software will be integrated with the Bridge Health Monitoring System (BHMS) for real-time monitoring of bridges on the national highway network.

¨     The Bridge Health Monitoring System (BHMS) is a sensor-based framework for continuous monitoring of the structural health of bridges.

¨     It uses sensors installed on bridge components to monitor movement, stress, vibration, and other structural parameters in real time.

¨     The ministry has decided that the supply, installation, and maintenance of sensors will be awarded separately through competitive bidding.

¨     A new Model Request for Proposal (RFP) will be adopted for all upcoming Bridge Health Monitoring System projects.

¨     In highway projects where physical work has not yet started, existing BHMS components will be removed and re-tendered under the new framework.

¨     State Public Works Departments (PWDs), the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL), and the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) have been directed to complete a nationwide digital inventory survey of bridges by 30 September 2026.

¨     Agencies where sensor installation has already begun may continue under their existing contracts.

¨     Such agencies must submit project details to the ministry's Standards and Research Wing within 30 days.

¨     The initiative aims to improve bridge safety, enable early detection of structural issues, strengthen preventive maintenance, and enhance the reliability and longevity of India's national highway infrastructure.