NEW DELHI: India’s highway infrastructure is undergoing a transformative shift — from concrete corridors to intelligent, data-driven mobility networks. The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has announced a sweeping digital and environmental upgrade across the country’s 1.46 lakh km National Highway network, which includes major corridors connecting Jammu, Kashmir, and Ladakh to the rest of the country.
The government’s flagship highway reforms — spanning digital tolling, GIS-based planning, green highways, and real-time monitoring — are being rolled out nationwide, including Jammu and Kashmir, where officials said the new systems will aid in faster road audits, improved safety oversight, and better highway maintenance through geo-tagged, app-based monitoring tools.
According to an official release, India’s highways are evolving into “intelligent backbones of mobility and data”, integrating planning, tolling, and maintenance through technology. The FASTag system, with 98% penetration and over 8 crore users, has revolutionized toll collection, while the Rajmargyatra mobile app, now downloaded over 15 lakh times, offers live updates on highways, toll plazas, and amenities.
The ‘NHAI One’ app is enabling real-time field coordination — a move expected to improve project execution in challenging terrains such as Jammu & Kashmir, where coordination and inspection have long been hindered by terrain and weather. Officials noted that digital attendance, geo-tagged audits, and instant reporting would cut delays and increase accountability in highway development projects across the region.
With a goal to eliminate long queues and cash transactions, the government has amended the National Highways Fee Rules, 2008, effective November 15, 2025. Non-FASTag users paying in cash will be charged double the fee, while those paying via UPI will pay 1.25 times the toll amount. The FASTag Annual Pass, launched in August, has already attracted 25 lakh users nationwide.
These reforms are particularly relevant for Jammu–Srinagar and Udhampur–Chenani–Nashri corridors, which witness heavy traffic and frequent congestion at toll plazas. Officials said digital tolling will ease vehicular movement and help monitor peak-hour patterns more efficiently.
The ministry has also integrated Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and PM Gati Shakti’s National Master Plan to digitally map all national highways, enabling precise planning and environmental compliance. With 550 layers of live data, including topography and forest zones, new road alignments — including those in ecologically sensitive areas like Pir Panjal and Banihal — can be planned with minimal disruption.
Under the Green Highways Mission, over 4.69 crore trees have been planted along India’s highways since 2015, with NHAI developing 467 water bodies under Mission Amrit Sarovar, including in parts of Jammu. Officials said these measures will help combat erosion, support water conservation, and create green belts along mountainous routes in J&K.
The adoption of Advanced Traffic Management Systems (ATMS) is also expanding. These systems use cameras, sensors, and AI-based alerts to detect accidents and traffic violations, enabling faster emergency response. Such technologies are being considered for danger-prone stretches of Jammu–Srinagar National Highway (NH-44), known for frequent landslides and low-visibility conditions.
NHAI will also deploy Network Survey Vehicles (NSVs) equipped with 3D lasers and 360° cameras across 23 states, including Jammu and Kashmir, to automatically detect road defects and track maintenance quality — a first for many hilly regions.
India’s road network — now the second largest in the world at 63 lakh km — has seen a 60% expansion in national highways since 2014. The ongoing digital transformation aims to turn each expressway into an ecosystem of connectivity, safety, and sustainability.
Officials said the new systems will be critical in Jammu and Kashmir’s ongoing infrastructure modernization, ensuring that projects like Z-Morh, Zojila tunnels, and Srinagar Ring Road integrate seamlessly with national data systems and green highway protocols.
From smart tolling to sustainable engineering, India’s highways are no longer just routes of transport — they are becoming channels of digital governance, real-time intelligence, and environmental stewardship.
