A parliamentary committee has recommended establishing a National Highway Safety Patrol, modeled on the Railway Protection Force, to boost accident response, traffic enforcement, and infrastructure protection on India's growing highway network. The proposal comes amid data showing 4.73 lakh road accidents and 1.70 lakh fatalities in 2024, with national highways linked to over 52,600 deaths. The report was tabled in Parliament on March 25, 2026.
The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Transport, Tourism and Culture, chaired by JD(U) MP Sanjay K. Jha, has recommended that the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways examine the feasibility of a dedicated National Highway Safety Patrol. Drawing from the Railway Protection Force model, the committee stated in its report tabled on March 25, 2026: “The Committee recommends that the Ministry examine the feasibility of establishing a dedicated National Highway Safety Patrol.” It highlighted that reliance on state police, whose priorities extend beyond highways, falls short for the national network's scale. A pilot on high-accident corridors and expressways could enhance golden hour responses, enforce speed and lane discipline, deter encroachments, and complement the Intelligent Traffic Management System. The committee also noted gaps in black spot remediation, urging structured post-rectification safety audits. Sites not meeting safety thresholds should undergo advanced interventions like grade separation or geometric realignment. This addresses 2024 data from the Transport Research Wing: 4.73 lakh accidents nationwide and over 52,600 fatalities on national highways.
