The roads that we see around us today. Be it national highway or expressways, were not like this earlier. There were started even before independence. Today we see how all this road plan happened.

1.Jayakar Committee- 

After 1st World War existing road are not capable for mixed traffic conditions. A resolution was passed in 1927 appointment a committee for development of roads in India. Mr. Jayakar was a chairmen of this committee .

• Jayakar committee was established after World war and the great depression which resulted in motor vehicle boom in India but the condition of roads were very poor. Major recommendations of Jayakar Committee 1927.
  • Road development should be considered as matter of National Interest.
  • Extra taxes should be levied on Petrol and High Speed Diesel to create and developed road Development Fund (Central Road Fund (CRF)-1929 ).
  • A semi official technical body should be established (Indian Road Congress(IRC)-1934).
  • For research and development of roads and organization should be established (Central Road Research Institute (CRRI) – 1950, New Delhi).
• CRF had been given statutory by CRF act:2000.
• Other measures taken associated with road development.
  • Motor Vehicle Act (1939, revised in 1988 and 2019) for traffic rule violation.
  • Establishment of Highway Research Board (1973).
  • National Highway Act (1956):Important element of the act:
    1. Central government should be responsible for construction of National Highways.
    2. Central government should be empower to omit any National Highway from the list of National Highways or it can declare any state Highway a National Highway.
  • In urban transportation planning, the “modal split” is the process of segregation of fast and slow modes.

2. Nagpur Road Conference –

• This is a first coordinated road development plan in India. 
• Nagpur Road plan was a 20 year road development plan (1943 – 1963).
• In this plan all roads are classified into 5 types NH, SH, MDR, ODR, VR.
• The  main Aim of this plan is make 16km road per 100km².
• This Target achieve in 2 year earlier.
• Width formation an ideal national highway in hard rock cutting is 7.9m.
• pattern is Star and Grid pattern.
• Development allowance 15%.

3.Bombay Road Plan-

• This was a second 20 year road plan(1961-1981). Meeting of this road plan was conducted in 1959.
• In this road plan 1st time mention a Expressway. In this plan 1600km expressway was planned.
• First expressway is Mumbai- Pune expressway was inaugurated 20 year delay in 2002.
• Target density is 32km road per 100km² area and Development allowance 5%.

4. Lucknow Road Plan –

• This was a third 20 year road plan(1981-2001) in India.
• Classification of road was modified 1. primary 2. secondary 3. tertiary.
• Target density 82 km road per 100km² area.
• Express way length 3200km.
• square and block pattern.

Engineering survey purposed in a highway alignment project

Map study:

It reveals  the details of all existing road network and important intermediate places to be connected in that area. It will also provided insight into general topography of the area along with the obligatory points if any present.

Reconnaissance Survey:

This survey involves understanding the feasibility of different alternate routes, so to select the most fitted one. 

preliminary survey:

It is composed of multiple survey studied such as construction material availability survey , soil profile survey earthwork studies, traffic survey etc.

Detailed survey.

In this study the alignment will be transferred from map to field. Centre line and grade line will be marked on the field. All estimation and costing for the project will be performed.