PESHAWAR: Experts in a workshop have highlighted the importance of using modern technology including artificial intelligence (AI) for road maintenance and condition monitoring (RMCM), saying it would help in optimal use of the developmental budget in the province.

They said that construction and reconstruction of new and existing roads had always remained a major part of the annual development budget.

They added that timely maintenance of the existing roads not only extended their lifetime but also saved the budget.

They said that Pakhtunkhwa Highways Authority (PkHA) and communication and works department started using the latest technology to efficiently monitor and maintain road-network in the province.

They said that manual detection and observation methods, which were in vogue, were time consuming and involved high costs.

The workshop was organised by communication and works department wherein the technical staff of the department and PkHA from across the province were trained on the latest technology for RMCM.

The speakers said that communication and works was the first government department in the country to introduce the latest technology to monitor roads in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

They added that its new technology used artificial intelligence to detect deterioration in road conditions.

They said that the department was also one of the first government entities to use “e-bidding” to introduce transparency.

Chief Engineer Zulfiqar Ali and chief executive officer of Mohammad Ibrahim Associates, Engineer Jawad Dayar Khan, distributed certificates and shields among the participants of the workshop.

The speakers stated that roads and highways played a vital role in the growth and prosperity of any country.

The chief engineers of different regions including Shakir Habib, Zulfiqar Ali, Ejaz Ahmed Khan and Shahzad Afzal Khan and other participants said that the technology would ensure an optimal use of the development budget for effective maintenance of roads besides promoting transparency.

Chief Engineer Mohammad Arif and Qudratullah also spoke on the occasion.

They said that availability of such important data about the road network in the province was not only need of the hour but it would also enable the department to make road maintenance plans in the upcoming Annual Development Programme.

The speakers also provided a review of the latest advancement in AI-assisted RMCM technology.

Published in Dawn, March 5th, 2023