As part of its road safety initiatives to mark Road Safety Month 2026, National Highways Authority of India has launched a pilot project to deliver real time safety alerts to motorists on National Highways approaching stretches prone to stray cattle movement. The initiative has been introduced to reduce accidents caused by sudden cattle crossings, particularly during foggy and low visibility conditions that significantly increase risk for highway users.
The pilot is being implemented in collaboration with telecom service providers on two identified high risk corridors, the Jaipur Agra and Jaipur Rewari National Highways. These stretches have been selected based on historical accident data and field level inputs indicating frequent stray cattle movement. Under the pilot, location based alerts will be triggered for commuters approximately 10 kilometres before entering cattle prone zones, allowing drivers sufficient lead time to slow down and adopt precautionary measures.
To ensure effective and timely communication, safety advisories during the pilot will be delivered through a Flash SMS followed by a voice alert. The Flash SMS will be issued in Hindi with the message alerting drivers about an upcoming stray cattle prone area and urging them to drive slowly and cautiously. This will be followed by a voice message conveying the same advisory. To avoid alert fatigue and unnecessary repetition, the system has been designed so that the same user will not receive repeated alerts within a 30 minute window.
The initiative leverages advanced telecom technology to provide targeted and real time warnings, thereby enhancing driver awareness and improving overall road safety on National Highways. Alerts will be generated using mapped cattle prone zones identified through a combination of historical crash analysis and on ground assessments. The system is being supported by upgraded telecom infrastructure, with Reliance Jio enhancing its platform to enable nationwide delivery of such alerts in the future.
NHAI will closely monitor the outcomes of the pilot to assess its effectiveness in reducing accidents and improving driver response. Based on the results, the authority will evaluate scaling up the initiative to other National Highway corridors vulnerable to stray cattle movement. The pilot reflects NHAI’s continued focus on technology driven solutions to enhance road safety and improve the travel experience for highway users across the country.
