The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) is considering a significant increase in the mandatory use of precast concrete in road projects, raising the requirement from the current 25% to 75-80%. This move aims to reduce pollution, prevent project delays, and control construction costs. The ministry is working on the implementation plan and is expected to collaborate with the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) to finalize the decision. Union Minister Nitin Gadkari has already discussed the proposal with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and has long advocated for wider adoption of precast technology, even expressing his preference for making it 100% mandatory.
Since April 2023, MoRTH has required the use of factory-made precast concrete components in select projects, including national highways and expressways, with a minimum threshold of 25% of total concrete volume, excluding foundation work, within 100 km of precast factories. Encouraging the adoption of precast materials has been a priority to improve construction quality and efficiency. The ministry is now also considering making precast boundary walls compulsory for access-controlled highways, further expanding the scope of prefabricated elements in infrastructure development.
MoRTH highlights multiple advantages of precast concrete, such as faster, all-weather construction, superior quality, and enhanced durability due to uniform manufacturing conditions. Additionally, it minimizes carbon emissions, noise, and air pollution by reducing on-site construction activity. Increased precast usage is also expected to benefit the Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSME) sector by boosting demand for factory-made construction materials. Several countries, including the USA, UK, Belgium, Canada, Italy, Spain, and the Netherlands, extensively use precast technology, and India’s push for higher adoption follows global best practices.
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