Hyderabad will host the 85th Annual Session of the Indian Roads Congress (IRC) from November 19 to 22, bringing together more than 3,000 highway engineers, researchers, academicians, policymakers and industry representatives from across India and abroad.
Organised by the IRC in collaboration with the Government of Telangana at the HITEX Exhibition Centre, the four-day event will focus on emerging technologies and solutions for climate-resilient, sustainable and safer road infrastructure.
Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari and Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy are expected to inaugurate the session on November 19. State Roads and Buildings Minister Komatireddy Venkat Reddy will coordinate the state-level arrangements and address the gathering. Governor Shiv Pratap Shukla has been invited to attend the concluding session.
The programme will feature around 19 technical sessions covering climate-resilient highway design, artificial intelligence, digital technologies, advanced pavement materials, multimodal transport, electric mobility and road safety. A dedicated meeting of Principal Secretaries, PWD Secretaries, Engineers-in-Chief and Chief Engineers from various States will also be held.
Climate resilience will be a major focus, with discussions on disaster-resistant highway design, flood mitigation, improved drainage systems, slope stabilisation, bioengineering and moisture-resistant pavements. Digital technology sessions will examine predictive pavement modelling, intelligent machine-aided construction, digital twins, real-time quality control, satellite-based monitoring and data-driven road asset management.
Technical deliberations will also cover polymer-modified bitumen, bio-polymer modified bitumen, crumb rubber modified bitumen, specialised emulsions, cold mixes and recycled materials. Road safety sessions will examine advanced road markings, transverse rumble bars and other research-backed interventions.
The technical programme will include dedicated sessions for students, research scholars, government research institutions, contractors, consultants, NGOs, private industry and international agencies.
Technical exhibition
The technical exhibition will be inaugurated on November 18 at the P.V. Narasimha Rao Hall. It will feature 401 stalls involving 104 Indian and international companies, showcasing advanced road construction materials, intelligent construction and monitoring equipment, road-marking technologies and traffic-safety systems.
A dedicated Telangana Pavilion will showcase the State’s infrastructure projects and investment opportunities. The exhibition is expected to provide a platform for interaction between government agencies, researchers and industry representatives.
Institutional meetings and events
The session will begin with the 238th IRC Council Meeting and inaugural programme on November 19. The 90th meeting of the Highway Research Board, along with the meeting of senior PWD officials, is scheduled for November 20. The 85th Business Meeting and voting for IRC Council elections will take place on November 21, followed by the 239th Council Meeting and technical site visits on November 22.
Cultural programmes highlighting Telangana’s heritage will be organised on the evenings of November 19, 20 and 21.
Komatireddy Venkat Reddy said hosting the national event was a matter of pride for Telangana and would support the State’s vision of becoming a stronger, better-connected and future-ready economy. He said the conference would facilitate knowledge-sharing and discussions on innovative approaches to road infrastructure. The Minister also highlighted the opportunity to position Telangana as a benchmark in advanced road construction and road safety.
Established in 1934, the Indian Roads Congress is the country’s apex professional body for highway engineers. It formulates technical standards, codes and guidelines used by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, NHAI and State Public Works Departments in road and bridge planning, design, construction and maintenance.
G. Vasant Naik is the Local Organising Secretary. Registered delegates can access programme schedules, speaker details, digital badges and exhibition information through the official IRC 2026 mobile application. Further details are available at www.85irctelangana.com.
