Mobile warnings to flag danger zones on national highways
New Delhi: The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Reliance Jio to deploy a telecom-based safety alert system across the national highway network, enabling warnings to reach drivers directly on their mobile phones as they approach risk zones. The system is designed to support safer travel by flagging accident-prone stretches, stray-cattle zones, fog-affected patches and emergency diversions in real time.
Using Reliance Jio’s existing 4G and 5G network, alerts will be delivered through SMS, WhatsApp and high-priority calls, allowing commuters to receive timely information before entering hazardous locations. The solution will operate automatically for all Jio mobile users travelling on or near national highways and does not require additional roadside hardware, relying instead on the existing telecom tower network.
The new safety mechanism will be integrated in phases with NHAI’s digital platforms, including the Rajmargyatra mobile application and the emergency helpline number 1033. The partnership draws on the telecom operator’s digital coverage, which currently serves more than 500 million subscribers across India.
NHAI Chairman Santosh Kumar Yadav said the initiative represents an important step in delivering timely and reliable information to commuters, adding that he is confident it will set a new benchmark in technology-enabled road-safety management on national highways. Reliance Jio President Jyotindra Thacker stated that the initiative uses the reach of Jio’s telecom network to deliver alerts at scale and contribute to safer and more informed travel.
The rollout will begin with a pilot phase under selected NHAI regional offices to validate risk-zone identification and alert thresholds. The system will comply with all applicable regulatory and data-protection requirements. NHAI has indicated that similar exercises will be undertaken with other telecom service providers as part of its broader effort to combine digital infrastructure with real-time communication tools to improve commuter awareness and reduce preventable road incidents. The authority reiterated its commitment to adopting innovative and scalable solutions to support safer and more efficient national highway travel across the country.
– global bihari bureau
