New Delhi: Travelling on India’s fast-expanding national highway network often comes with sudden surprises. Hazards such as cattle crossings, sharp diversions and dense fog can appear with little notice, especially on high-speed corridors. To improve safety and reduce preventable road accidents, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has signed an MoU with Reliance Jio to deploy a telecom-based safety alert system across highways.
The new initiative will use Jio’s existing 4G and 5G telecom infrastructure to send real-time alerts to motorists approaching identified high-risk stretches. Messages will be delivered through SMS, WhatsApp and high-priority calls, warning drivers about accident-prone zones, fog-affected areas, stray animals on the road and sudden emergency diversions.
Telecom alerts to assist drivers in advance
According to NHAI, the alert system aims to help commuters adjust driving behaviour well before entering a dangerous patch. The rollout will integrate with existing digital platforms such as the Rajmargyatra mobile application and the 1033 emergency helpline.
The alerts will be triggered automatically for Jio users travelling on or near national highways. Since the system uses current telecom towers, deployment avoids installation of roadside devices and can be scaled quickly.
Pilot launch before nationwide deployment
The pilot phase will begin across selected NHAI regional offices. Highway authorities will use learnings from the trial to improve hazard-zone mapping and alert accuracy. NHAI stated that all regulatory and data-protection guidelines will be followed.
The Authority also plans to collaborate with other telecom operators to ensure broader coverage across the national network.
Road-safety focus as vehicle speeds rise
India’s highways continue to witness increasing speeds with more powerful vehicles, wider expressways and growing long-distance commuter traffic. Safety experts say timely communication can significantly lower accident risks, especially at night or during low-visibility conditions.
NHAI believes the partnership will set a benchmark for technology-driven road-safety measures in the country. The organisation emphasised that it remains committed to scalable solutions that ensure safer, smarter and more efficient highway travel.