SLUG
Highway Safety Guidelines
NEW DELHI
The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) released comprehensive guidelines for planning and designing high-speed, access-controlled National Highways, excluding expressways, to bring greater uniformity and consistency across the network.
The guidelines aim to standardise the preparation of Detailed Project Reports for high-speed National Highway corridors while strengthening road safety and improving operational efficiency. They will apply to all upcoming four- to six-lane Greenfield and Brownfield high-speed access-controlled National Highways.
A key focus of the new framework is the inclusion of additional safety measures suited to high-speed traffic conditions. The guidelines seek to ensure that road design and planning are consistent with the requirements of vehicles travelling at higher speeds on such corridors.
The NHAI has also prescribed special provisions for advance notification of exits and entries. The measures are intended to help National Highway users anticipate upcoming access and egress points and navigate them safely. The guidelines are expected to bring greater consistency to the design and planning of future high-speed corridors.
Lane configuration on high-speed National Highways will also be standardised based on detailed traffic assessments. The move is aimed at ensuring that the number and arrangement of lanes are determined according to traffic requirements while maintaining uniformity in highway planning.
The guidelines cover both Greenfield and Brownfield projects, with the framework applying to upcoming four- to six-lane access-controlled National Highways other than expressways. Through common technical standards, additional safety provisions and traffic-based lane planning, the NHAI aims to improve road safety and operational efficiency across the National Highway network. The guidelines will also provide a common framework for preparing project reports and planning future high-speed corridors.
