New Delhi, Jan 6: The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has sought urgent intervention from the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) and the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) to address critical gaps in mobile network connectivity along several stretches of national highways, particularly in greenfield and remote areas.
In an official communication, NHAI highlighted that poor or non-existent mobile connectivity on key highway corridors poses serious public safety concerns and affects emergency response mechanisms, highway operations, and the delivery of technology-enabled public services. Emphasising the strategic importance of the national highway network, the authority called for a coordinated and time-bound approach to improve digital connectivity across these corridors.
As part of a detailed assessment, NHAI has identified 424 locations spanning approximately 1,750 kilometres of the national highway network that are critically affected due to the absence of mobile network coverage. The authority has compiled and shared location-specific data with DoT and TRAI for necessary regulatory and operational action.
NHAI noted that many national highway stretches pass through rural and remote regions, where the lack of reliable mobile connectivity significantly hampers communication during accidents, breakdowns, and other emergencies, thereby increasing risks for road users.
In addition to addressing connectivity gaps, NHAI has also requested TRAI to issue directions to telecom service providers for disseminating proactive SMS or flash SMS alerts at geo-mapped accident-prone locations. These include highway stretches frequently affected by stray cattle movement and other identified hazards. The alerts are intended to warn motorists in advance, enabling them to exercise caution and adopt safer driving behaviour. A list of such accident-prone stretches has already been shared with the regulator.
By flagging these concerns, NHAI reiterated its commitment to working closely with telecom authorities and service providers to ensure that the national highway network is not only physically well-connected but also digitally enabled. The authority said these efforts are in line with its broader objective of providing safe, efficient and user-centric highway infrastructure across the country.
