Flagging a major gap in highway safety enforcement, a parliamentary committee has recommended the creation of a dedicated National Highway Safety Patrol to improve accident response, enforce traffic discipline and protect road assets across the country’s expanding highway network.
The recommendation comes against the backdrop of India recording about 4.73 lakh road accidents and 1.70 lakh fatalities in 2024, with the National Highways alone accounting for over 52,600 deaths, according to the Transport Research Wing of the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways.
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“The Committee recommends that the Ministry examine the feasibility of establishing a dedicated National Highway Safety Patrol, drawing upon successful institutional models such as the Railway Protection Force which has demonstrated effectiveness in asset protection and passenger safety across the railway network,” according to a report of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Transport, Tourism and Culture chaired by JD(U) MP Sanjay K. Jha, which was tabled in Parliament on Wednesday (March 25, 2026).
According to the panel, even a pilot rollout on high-accident corridors and expressways could significantly improve real-time response during the “golden hour” (the critical first 60 minutes after a severe traumatic injury), enforce speed and lane discipline on access-controlled roads, and deter encroachments and damage to highway infrastructure. The patrol would also complement digital enforcement systems being deployed under the Intelligent Traffic Management System.
