New Delhi: In a move that combines highway engineering with smartphone convenience, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) is all set to install Project Information Sign Boards featuring Quick Response (QR) Codes across national highways. The initiative, under the Highways for All Initiative (HAI), aims to transform the long stretches of tarmac into information-rich corridors — quite literally, where every pole will have a story (and a helpline number) to tell.
Scan, Know, Go!
Each vertical QR signboard will give commuters instant access to a treasure trove of details:
- Highway number, project length, and chainage
- Construction and maintenance timelines
- Emergency helpline 1033
- Contact info for Patrol, Toll, Project, and Resident Engineers
- Nearby essentials like hospitals, toilets, police stations, fuel stations, e-charging points, and even the nearest puncture repair shop (because destiny and flat tyres wait for no one).
In essence, it’s Google Maps with official NHAI credibility and zero pop-up ads.
Visible, Accessible, Transparent
The boards will be installed at key points — toll plazas, rest areas, truck lay-bys, wayside amenities, and entry/exit points — ensuring that whether you’re refuelling, resting, or recalculating your life choices in a jam, help and information are just a scan away.
NHAI officials say the project aims not just at “ease of commuting” but also transparency, accountability, and public empowerment. In short, the highways are getting a digital upgrade without the need for software updates.
Why It Matters
For decades, Indian highway users have relied on instinct, fellow truck drivers, or chai-stall wisdom to find the next petrol pump or emergency contact. Now, a simple scan will reveal everything from project details to the closest place to grab a paratha.
The system also strengthens road safety by providing verified, location-based emergency support — an upgrade that could save both time and lives.
With this initiative, NHAI isn’t just paving roads — it’s paving the way for connected mobility infrastructure. Soon, “Where am I?” will have a QR-coded answer.
So next time you spot a signboard with a square pixel pattern along the highway, don’t just drive past. Pull over, scan it, and say hello to the future of Indian highways — one QR code at a time.
