QR-coded signboards on highways to let people know road contractor and officials' details

NEW DELHI: Union Road Transport and Highways minister Nitin Gadkari has said that the purpose of installing QR-coded signboards with name and contact details of the contractors, officials and engineers is for the users to know who is responsible for the poor state of the road. The signboard will let people know who the minister, secretary, or contractor is associated with the specific road, with their contact details. Why should I get the abuse alone? Why should I respond on social media?... If a road is bad and people are complaining about it on social media, we should take it seriously. We need ownership, sincerity, and a positive approach in road construction. Roads must be good, and they must stay good, said Gadkari. The minister was delivering a keynote address at the Smart Roads Conference 2025, organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) in New Delhi on Thursday. TNIE earlier reported that the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) had revised its guidelines for roadside signboards to make them more informative and user-friendly. Each panel will carry a Quick Response (QR) code that commuters can scan to access updated information on emergency services, including key contact numbers of the people responsible for the construction and maintenance of the stretches. Roads are national assets, accountability and quality are non-negotiable: Minister Gadkari Under the new norms, the panels will display details of at least 20 essential services in the vicinity, including hospitals, police stations, fuel pumps, puncture repair shops, vehicle service centres and e-charging stations, along with relevant helpline numbers. Authorised locations for installing these signboards include wayside amenities, toll plazas, mini rest areas and truck lay-bys. The guidelines also specify dimensions, design, and materials for QR-coded signs, with a mandatory readability lifespan of at least 10 years. In case of damage, vandalism, or fading, the authority is required to replace the board within 30 days. The update follows amendments made in December 2024 after the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) received several representations highlighting discrepancies in earlier rules. A committee was set up to review the rules, following which fresh procedures were released and implemented. The guidelines were first introduced in July 2023 to ensure better visibility and clarity for road users, patrolling team, toll plaza manager and the resident engineer.