The North News
New Delhi, December 2
The National Highways Authority India (NHAI) has signed an agreement with Reliance Jio to roll out a mobile-based safety alert system aimed at improving road safety and providing real-time warnings to motorists. Under the partnership, users travelling on or near national highways will receive advance alerts on their phones —through SMS, WhatsApp or high-priority calls — as they approach accident-prone stretches, stray-cattle zones, fog-affected corridors or emergency diversions. The system will rely on Jio’s existing 4G and 5G networks and will not require additional roadside hardware.
The alerts will be integrated in phases with NHAI’s digital platforms, including the Rajmargyatra mobile app and emergency helpline 1033. Officials say the automated system will help drivers adjust speed and prepare for hazards well in advance. NHAI Chairman Santosh Kumar Yadav said the initiative marked “an important step” in technology-enabled road safety, providing reliable information that helps commuters take informed decisions on the move.
Reliance Jio president Jyotindra Thacker said the initiative would use the company’s nationwide digital infrastructure to deliver alerts at scale, covering its base of more than 500 million subscribers. A pilot rollout will support risk-zone identification and alert thresholds in select NHAI regional offices. The system will adhere to all regulatory and data-protection norms, officials said. NHAI added that similar collaborations with other telecom operators are planned, as part of broader efforts to cut preventable road accidents and improve national highway travel.
