NHAI launches pilot for real-time stray cattle safety alert on national highways.

New Delhi, January 14, 2026: As part of its road safety initiatives to commemorate Road Safety Month 2026, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), in collaboration with telecom service providers, has launched a pilot project to deliver real-time safety alerts to National Highway users approaching stray cattle-prone zones.

NHAI’s initiative will be helpful to reduce mishaps:

The initiative aims to reduce road mishaps caused by sudden cattle movement, especially during foggy and low-visibility conditions.

The pilot project is being implemented on the Jaipur-Agra and Jaipur-Rewari National Highway corridors, which have been identified as high-risk stretches due to frequent stray cattle movement.

Under the initiative, location-based alerts will be sent to commuters approximately 10 kilometers in advance of identified danger zones, allowing drivers sufficient time to take precautionary measures.

To ensure effective communication, safety advisories during the pilot phase will be delivered through a flash SMS followed by a voice alert.

The flash SMS will be issued in “There is an area ahead with stray animals. Please drive slowly and carefully.”

This will be followed by a voice message conveying the same safety warning. To avoid alert fatigue, repeat alerts will not be sent to the same user within a 30-minute window.

The alert system is equipped with an advanced technology:

The initiative leverages advanced telecom technology to provide timely, targeted advisories, enhancing driver awareness and improving overall road safety on National Highways. Alerts will be generated based on mapped cattle-prone zones, identified using historical accident data and field-level inputs, and delivered through upgraded telecom infrastructure.

As part of the project, Reliance Jio has upgraded its platform to enable nationwide delivery of such real-time alerts.

Based on the effectiveness and outcomes of the pilot, NHAI will evaluate the feasibility of scaling up the initiative to other cattle-prone stretches across the country, as part of its continued efforts to improve road safety and enhance user experience on National Highways.

Also Read: NHAI seeks urgent action to improve mobile network connectivity in National Highways.

EOM