Overview
- An NHAI assessment identified 424 locations spanning about 1,750 km on national highways with critical mobile coverage gaps, especially on greenfield and remote stretches.
- NHAI has formally shared detailed location data and a list of accident‑prone zones with the Department of Telecommunications and TRAI for follow‑up action.
- The authority asked TRAI to enable proactive SMS or Flash SMS warnings at mapped hazard points, including stretches frequently affected by stray cattle.
- NHAI says poor connectivity hampers highway operations, slows emergency response, and undermines technology‑enabled public services across the corridor network.
- Regulators have acknowledged no‑coverage pockets in drive tests and experts have floated a neutral‑host model for shared infrastructure, but no operator commitments or system‑wide fixes have been announced.