MoRTH makes precast concrete mandatory for non-critical highway components

The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has mandated the use of precast concrete in all road projects above ₹300 crore to accelerate construction, decrease costs, and promote sustainable, high-quality infrastructure development.

The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) has mandated the use of precast concrete for all road and highway projects above ₹300 crore, aiming to accelerate infrastructure development and promote sustainable construction techniques.

According to ministry insiders, this move is part of a larger initiative to reduce construction delays, costs, and environmental impact. Precast concrete, in which structural elements are cast in controlled settings and then transported to the construction site, provides advantages such as speedier execution, better quality control, and lower on-site emissions.

Precast concrete will initially be used for non-critical components of highway projects. Contractors will have the option of sourcing factory-made precast components (subject to quality certification) or producing them on-site, as long as all applicable criteria are followed. To aid this transition, contract agreements will be modified to require the use of factory-produced precast parts.

Nitin Gadkari, Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, has long advocated for the broad adoption of precast technology. He recently hosted a high-level discussion on the subject. He has also raised the issue with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, urging for complete precast use in road construction.

According to a circular issued by the ministry on June 24, particular components must now employ precast concrete. These include box culverts of specific diameters, stormwater drains with pathways, chute drains with dissipation chambers, boundary walls or fencing, RCC crash barriers, kerbs, and pedestrian or median railings.

The Circular states, “There is a need to scale up the use of precast concrete components to leverage their advantages in National Highways, Expressways, and centrally sponsored road projects. In urban areas, the use of precast helps reduce pollution and minimise user time delays.”

The new mandate will apply to any new projects that request bids 90 days or later after the date of the circular. This strategy comes as the central government pursues a large infrastructure plan centred on motorways, economic corridors, and greenfield roadways.

Precast elements must be designed, fabricated, cast, and installed by the applicable standards, rules, and guidelines, officials stated.

Notably, in April 2023, MoRTH made the use of factory-manufactured precast components mandatory in some projects. At the time, projects located within 100 kilometres of a precast facility were required to precast at least 25 percent of the concrete volume (excluding foundations).

Source: https://www.newindianexpress.com/nation/2025/Jun/26/morth-mandates-use-of-precast-concrete-for-non-critical-components-in-highway-projects