MOU BETWEEN GSI AND NHAI (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 – Infrastructure)

Context: National Highways network, NHAI has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Geological Survey of India (GSI) to provide services to NHAI for site specific geotechnical consultancy and assist in vetting of Detailed Project Reports (DPR) from geotechnical point of view.

Geological Survey of India

• About: The Geological Survey of India (GSI) is a scientific agency of India.
• Founded: In 1851, as a Government of India organization under the Ministry of Mines
• Headquarters: Kolkata, 
• 6 Regional Offices: Lucknow, Jaipur, Nagpur, Hyderabad, Shillong and Kolkata.
• Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Mines
• Functions: Creation and updating of national geoscientific information and mineral resource assessment constitute primary objectives.

oGround surveys, air-borne and marine surveys, mineral prospecting, and investigations are employed to achieve these goals.

oVarious methods, including multi-disciplinary geoscientific and geo-technical approaches, are utilized in pursuit of these objectives.

National Highways Authority of India (NHAI)

• About: NHAI serves as the foremost creator of highway infrastructure in India, responsible for the development, maintenance, and management of National Highways.
• Statutory Authority: NHAI operates as a statutory body, functioning under the administrative purview of the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways.
• Established by:  National Highways Authority of India Act in 1998, NHAI commenced its operations in February 1995, marking a significant milestone in the country's highway development.
• Structure: Full-time Chairman, along with not more than five full-time Members and four part-time Members, all appointed by the Central Government.