3. Unit 3 – Infrastructure

The World Standards cooperation (WSC), a collaboration between; International Organization for Standardization (ISO), International Telecommunication Union (ITU), and International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), sets the global framework for standards for many sectors including infrastructure and forms the backbone for the national standards in India. In the recent Global Quality Infrastructure Index (GQII) 2021, which ranks 184 economies in the world on the basis of the quality infrastructure (QI), India’s national accreditation system under the Quality Council of India (QCI) has ranked 5th in the world, and our overall QI system ranked at the 10th position, with the standardization system (under BIS) at 9th and the metrology system (under NPL-CSIR) at 21st position in the world.

The World Standards Cooperation (WSC) is a partnership that includes several major organizations that set international standards. These standards are essential for various sectors, especially infrastructure. The Global Quality Infrastructure Index (GQII) evaluates the quality of infrastructure in different countries, and in 2021, India performed very well, ranking 5th in accreditation and 10th in overall quality infrastructure. This suggests that India's systems for ensuring quality and standards in infrastructure are highly regarded globally.

Imagine if every country had its own way of building bridges without any guidelines. It would be like everyone trying to play a game without knowing the rules – it could lead to chaos or unsafe structures. However, just as sports rely on common rules to ensure fair play, international standards ensure that infrastructure projects are safe and reliable across countries.

In India, the roles and responsibilities for development of infrastructure is defined by the Constitution of India. While the centre is responsible for the critical national-level infrastructures, such as, National highways, Railways, Major ports, Airports and Telecom, the State together with the Municipality and Panchayats are responsible for regulating building construction, water management and supply, urban town planning, other roads and bridges, rural housing and rural electricity. To aid in Public-Private Partnership to see through infrastructural development, in 2007 the Centre set up the India Infrastructure Project Development Fund (IIPDF) Scheme aimed at creating appropriate mechanisms, guidelines, advisories, and funding support.

The Constitution of India outlines the distribution of responsibilities for infrastructure development between different levels of government. The central government handles large-scale projects such as highways and railways, while state and local governments manage building regulations and smaller infrastructure projects. The India Infrastructure Project Development Fund (IIPDF) was established to support these developments through structured guidelines and funding, facilitating partnerships between public entities and private enterprises.

Think of infrastructure development like a school project where different students take on different roles. The leader (central government) decides the project's direction while others (state and local governments) handle specific tasks like gathering materials or designing parts of the project. The IIPDF is like a teacher offering resources and guidance to help students work together effectively.

There are a large number of Indian Standard (IS) codes that support the practice of civil engineering and architecture for safe and durable infrastructure construction. These offer guidelines, specifications, and safety prerequisites for construction materials, design parameters, testing techniques, and construction practices, and serve as a reference to guarantee consistency, safety, and excellence in civil engineering projects throughout the country.

Indian Standard (IS) codes are essential documents that provide comprehensive guidelines for civil engineering. They specify how to safely use materials, design structures, and conduct tests, ensuring that projects are built to high standards. These codes are crucial for maintaining the safety and durability of buildings and infrastructure in India.

Imagine you are baking a cake without a recipe. You might miss ingredients or steps, and the cake could turn out badly. IS codes are like recipes for engineers; they ensure that every structure is built correctly, safely, and to the right specifications, just like a well-baked cake.

Civil engineers refer to these codes for design and analysis of structures, as well as for specifications, methods and code of practice, for e.g., IS: 456; 10262; Sp 23 provides ‘codes for designing concrete mixes’, while IS: 2386 provides ‘methods for tests for aggregate for concrete’ and IS: 4925 provides ‘specifications for concrete batching plant’. Dedicated list of standards is available for materials and elements, such as, Cement & Concrete, which in turn has codes on cement (IS 269, IS 8041, IS 650), coarse / fine Aggregate (IS 383, IS 2386), Masonry Mortar, Cement Concrete, Curing Compound, etc.

Civil engineers rely on specific IS codes for various aspects of construction. For instance, certain codes offer guidelines for designing concrete mixes and testing materials like aggregates. This ensures engineers have the right information to select materials and methods needed to create robust and safe structures.

Think of IS codes as the instructions for assembling furniture. You wouldn't want to guess on how to put it together – following the instructions (the codes) guarantees that the furniture is safe, stable, and fits together properly.

Internationally recognised, the ISO ICS 93 codes are on civil engineering, and covers information on various construction and infrastructure areas such as road engineering, bridge construction, tunnel construction, and more. The National Building Code (NBC) also serves as a model code for adoption across the nation with strict regulations on safety and procedures in construction.

The ISO ICS 93 codes are global codes that provide essential guidelines for various segments of civil engineering, helping ensure consistency in practices worldwide. The National Building Code (NBC) provides a framework for local regulations, focusing on safety standards and best practices for construction across India.

Consider ISO codes as a universal language for builders worldwide, making sure they understand and follow the same principles, just like learning to use the same math formulas ensures accurate calculations no matter where you are.

Eventually the quality of design and execution is the onus of the Civil engineer and Architect. Thus, to aid in other complimentary areas, Niti Ayog has compiled the ‘Indian Infrastructure Body of Knowledge – A technical Baseline to the Practice of Program and Project Management in India’ under the National Program and Project Management Policy Framework with the intention of laying down a plan of action and advocating short-term and long-term strategies for improving Program and Project Management practices in India, as well as to align with the global best practices.

Civil engineers and architects are ultimately responsible for ensuring that infrastructure meets quality standards. To support this, the Niti Aayog developed the ‘Indian Infrastructure Body of Knowledge,’ which aims to provide guidelines and strategies for effective project management in infrastructure development aligned with international best practices.

Imagine building a treehouse with your friends. One person is good at planning, and another at construction. Niti Aayog acts like a mentor to ensure everyone is working together effectively and following best methods to build the sturdiest treehouse possible, ensuring safety and fun.

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