New Delhi: The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) is set to upgrade its 1033 National Highway Helpline with artificial intelligence, real-time location tracking and smart emergency-response technology to speed up assistance for highway users.
The proposed Next Generation 1033 platform is designed to improve how emergencies, vehicle breakdowns, toll-related issues and other highway incidents are reported and handled across the country.
AI, Location Tracking to Power New 1033 System
The upgraded platform will combine technology with human operators to improve the speed and coordination of emergency assistance.
Read Also: NHAI Tightens Plantation Rules: 80% Coverage, 90% Survival Now Mandatory
Planned features include:
- Real-time location identification to help responders locate callers.
- AI-assisted multilingual support for calls in different Indian languages.
- Smart dispatch to identify and deploy suitable ambulances, cranes or patrol vehicles.
- Proactive alerts about incidents and important developments on highways.
- Improved coordination between the helpline, emergency services and highway operations teams.
Human operators will continue to handle calls, particularly situations requiring judgement and decision-making during emergencies.
Helpline Currently Handles 15,000 Calls Daily
Introduced in 2018, the 1033 helpline operates round the clock and currently covers more than 1.46 lakh km of National Highways.
It assists highway users with a range of emergencies and travel-related problems.
The existing helpline provides support for:
- Medical emergencies and ambulance assistance
- Vehicle breakdowns and crane requirements
- Patrol vehicle assistance
- Toll plaza and FASTag-related complaints
- Other problems encountered while travelling on National Highways
The helpline receives around 15,000 calls every day and supports multiple languages.
IHMCL Invites Industry Participation
Indian Highways Management Company Limited (IHMCL), promoted by NHAI, has invited an Expression of Interest (EOI) from companies and consortia for developing, deploying, operating and maintaining the Next Generation 1033 Helpline and Call Centre.
The proposed system requires expertise in software development, digital platforms, 24×7 call-centre operations and emergency-response services.
IHMCL is seeking participation from companies with expertise in:
- Mobility and ride-hailing
- Logistics and quick-commerce
- Public safety systems
- Computer-Aided Dispatch
- Voice AI
- Indian-language speech recognition
NHAI Seeks Industry Inputs for Future-Ready Platform
IHMCL will also seek technical suggestions and industry feedback while finalising the requirements for the new platform.
The exercise will examine relevant industry practices to develop a system that can handle the scale and operational requirements of the National Highway network.
The proposed upgrade is aimed at making the 1033 service more responsive by combining AI-enabled tools, real-time information and human intervention for emergency assistance on National Highways.
Read Also: NHAI Announces Green Highways Excellence Awards 2026 Winners for Sustainable Plantation Practices
