NHAI Flags 1,750 km of NHs Without Mobile Coverage

08 Jan 2026 CW Team

National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has identified 424 critical locations across around 1,750 km of national highways that currently lack mobile network connectivity, raising concerns over road safety and highway operations.

In response, NHAI has sought urgent intervention from the Department of Telecommunications and the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India to direct telecom service providers to address the connectivity gaps along these highway stretches.

The authority said mobile network issues are particularly acute on greenfield projects and remote sections of national highways. It stressed the need for a coordinated and time-bound approach to improve coverage across highway corridors nationwide.

NHAI noted that as national highways often pass through rural and remote regions, the lack of reliable mobile connectivity hampers highway operations, emergency response systems and the delivery of technology-enabled public services, including real-time traffic management and accident response.

The authority has also requested TRAI to instruct telecom operators to issue proactive Short Message Service (SMS) or Flash SMS alerts at geo-mapped accident-prone locations. These include stretches frequently affected by stray cattle movement and other identified hazards.

Such alerts, NHAI said, would reach road users before they enter high-risk zones, enabling timely caution and promoting safer driving behaviour. A detailed list of accident-prone stretches, including those impacted by stray cattle, has already been shared with the regulator.

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