New Delhi: The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) is set to upgrade its 1033 National Highway helpline with artificial intelligence (AI), real-time location tracking and smart emergency-response technology to provide faster assistance to highway users.
The upgraded system is expected to identify callers’ locations in real time, support multiple Indian languages and help dispatch the most appropriate ambulance, crane or patrol vehicle during emergencies.
The 1033 helpline, launched in 2018, operates round the clock and currently covers more than 1.46 lakh km of National Highways. It receives around 15,000 calls daily, including requests related to medical emergencies, vehicle breakdowns, ambulances, cranes, patrol vehicles, toll plazas and FASTag issues.
The proposed Next Generation 1033 platform will also provide proactive alerts to motorists about incidents and other developments on highways. Human operators will continue to handle situations requiring judgement and decision-making, officials said.
Indian Highways Management Company Ltd (IHMCL), promoted by NHAI, has invited expressions of interest from companies and consortia for developing, deploying, operating and maintaining the upgraded helpline and call centre.
The project requires expertise in software, digital platforms, 24×7 call-centre operations and emergency response. Companies specialising in mobility, logistics, public safety, computer-aided dispatch, voice AI and Indian-language speech recognition have been invited to participate.
IHMCL will also seek industry feedback and technical inputs before finalising the platform’s requirements.
The initiative aims to make emergency assistance on National Highways faster, better coordinated and more accessible to motorists across the country.
