Highway QR boards aim to aid safety and accountability
New Delhi: The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) today announced plans to install signboards with Quick Response (QR) codes along stretches of national highways. According to the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, the boards are intended to provide travellers with project-specific details, emergency contacts, and information about nearby amenities.
The ministry stated that each vertical QR code board will carry data on the highway number, chainage, project length, and construction or maintenance timelines. They will also display contact details of toll managers, project engineers, resident engineers, highway patrol units, and NHAI field offices. The 1033 emergency helpline will be included. In addition, the codes will link to information on facilities such as hospitals, petrol pumps, toilets, police stations, restaurants, toll plazas, truck lay-bys, puncture repair shops, vehicle service centres and e-charging stations.
The QR code boards are to be installed at locations including rest areas, toll plazas, lay-bys, and at highway entry and exit points. The ministry has described the initiative as an effort to enhance transparency, improve commuter convenience, and contribute to road safety by enabling faster access to assistance and local services.
The plan comes at a time when India continues to face persistent concerns about road safety. The country records some of the world’s highest road fatality numbers, and researchers have highlighted risks linked to inadequate safety infrastructure, poor enforcement, and mixed traffic conditions on highways. Studies have also pointed to gaps in the availability and accuracy of crash data, with discrepancies often observed between media reports and official figures.
Transparency and reliability of information have been recurring challenges. Past reviews of India’s road safety framework have found deficiencies in public access to data and incomplete documentation of accidents. Analysts have noted that emergency response systems remain inconsistent across states, while signage, lighting, and safety features vary in quality along different stretches of national highways.
Against this backdrop, the introduction of QR code signboards marks a shift towards digital solutions. The effectiveness of the measure will depend on how consistently the information behind the codes is updated, whether connectivity issues in remote areas are addressed, and how well the system is integrated with local emergency networks. Maintenance of the physical boards and protection against damage will also be factors in determining whether the initiative delivers its intended outcomes.
The NHAI has said the project is part of the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav programme. Its long-term impact will be measured by how far it improves transparency, strengthens road safety, and enhances the daily experience of highway commuters.
– global bihari bureau
