The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) on Tuesday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Reliance Jio to introduce a telecom-based safety alert system across the National Highway network. The initiative is aimed at enhancing road safety and improving the commuting experience for highway users.
Under the initiative, travellers on National Highways will receive advance warnings on their mobile phones as they approach risk-prone locations, including accident-prone stretches, stray-cattle zones, fog-affected areas and emergency diversions. The alerts will be delivered through SMS, WhatsApp and high-priority calls using Jio’s existing 4G and 5G network.
According to NHAI, the automated system will function for all Jio mobile users travelling on or near the National Highways and will provide early warnings before commuters enter a hazardous zone. The deployment will utilise existing telecom towers and will not require additional roadside infrastructure, enabling faster rollout. The system will be integrated in phases with NHAI’s digital platforms, including the ‘Rajmargyatra’ mobile application and the 1033 emergency helpline.
NHAI Chairman Santosh Kumar Yadav said the partnership represents a major step towards delivering timely and reliable information to commuters. “This initiative marks an important step forward in providing timely and reliable information to commuters, enabling them to make informed decisions and adopt safer driving practices well in advance,” he said, expressing confidence that it will set a new benchmark in technology-enabled road safety management.
Jyotindra Thacker, President, Reliance Jio, stated that the initiative uses the wide reach of Jio’s telecom network to deliver safety alerts at scale, supporting safer and more informed travel on National Highways.
The pilot deployment will initially cover selected regional offices of NHAI for risk-zone identification and alert calibration. The project will comply with regulatory and data-protection requirements, NHAI said.
The authority also stated that similar collaborations will be undertaken with other telecom service providers. It added that the initiative is part of its broader effort to adopt scalable digital solutions that support safer and more efficient travel on National Highways.