NEW DELHI: To enhance safety and offer a seamless travel experience on National Highways, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) is set to introduce a telecom-based safety alert system across the National Highway network. 

Alerts will be sent through SMS, WhatsApp and high-priority calls to National Highway users. The system will be integrated in a phased manner with NHAI’s digital platforms, including the ‘Rajmargyatra’ mobile application and emergency helpline number 1033.

The initiative aims to strengthen road safety by providing timely information to National Highway users, enabling them to adjust speed and driving behaviour well in advance. Initially, the service will be available to Jio customers, and subsequently, it will cover all telecom service providers.

The authority has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Reliance Jio, and within two months, the alerts service will begin.

Using Jio’s existing 4G and 5G network, travellers will receive warnings on their mobile phones as they approach identified risk locations such as accident-prone stretches, stray-cattle zones, fog-affected areas and emergency diversions, said officials of the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH).

The automated system will work for all Jio mobile users on or near the National Highways and will provide early warning to National Highway commuters before they enter a hazardous zone. The solution will use existing telecom towers and can be deployed quickly, without additional roadside hardware. This strategic partnership shall leverage Jio's digital infrastructure, serving over 500 million subscribers in the country.