New Delhi. Telethon of Road Safety Campaign 2026 is an important initiative of the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) and National Highways Authority of India (NHAI). This was the fourth edition of the National Road Safety Programme, which was launched in the year 2023. From the very beginning, the objective of this campaign has been to establish road safety as a social responsibility rather than limiting it to mere rules.
This edition brought together policy-makers, creative experts, artists, technocrats and common citizens on one platform with a clear goal – to take road safety beyond rules and punitive measures and make it a part of our everyday behaviour.
The program was started by actor and road safety advocate Amitabh Bachchan. He expressed his views with emotional clarity and moral responsibility and emphasized on collective responsibility. He said that following the rules should become a natural habit and caring for other road users should be a part of our identity. His message became the central spirit of the entire telethon—“from care to duty,” i.e. turning concern into responsibility.
From the perspective of policies and administration, Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Shri Nitin Gadkari explained how infrastructure and rules can bring positive changes in behaviour. He also talked about the need for vehicle and road safety features like better standards of trucks and safety equipment for two-wheeler riders. He also clarified that technology and systems help in safety, but ultimately road safety depends on the individual's own decisions.
Actress Alia Bhatt from the world of art and cinema said that our behavior on the road is related to our family and loved ones, so this topic is personal for every person. His message was simple—good behavior on the road is a sign of love for one's family. Actor Vicky Kaushal stressed the need to control emotions while driving and avoid situations like road rage.
The telethon also highlighted the role of communication and technology in changing driving behavior and habits. Alex Kuruvilla, Trustee of Save Life Foundation, spoke about the importance of emotional and honest communication and said that change comes when people feel connected to a message and not take it as a sermon. Adore Powertron Chairperson Ravin Mirchandani said that data analysis and smart systems can help in taking better decisions, but human understanding and discretion should always remain at the center. MoRTH Additional Secretary Mahmood Ahmed discussed the use of digital tools to identify accident-prone areas and speedy improvements on highways.
Keeping empathy and sensitivity at the centre, content creator and social influencer Chatori Rajni shared his views and said that road users should be more sensitive and aware. In this context, Amitabh Bachchan suggested that a national and international level campaign should be launched inspired by the story of Chatori Rajni, so that it has a deep and lasting impact on people and they understand their responsibilities.
Taking this idea forward, composer and singer Shankar Mahadevan suggested creating a series of short songs of 30–40 seconds each, based on road safety topics such as wearing helmets, wrong-way driving and speeding. These songs can convey the main message of the campaign “from care to duty” to the people in a simple and effective manner.
The main message of the Road Safety Campaign 2026 telethon was very clear—despite having the best vehicles, strict laws and modern technology, road safety is shaped by small everyday decisions. Discipline, awareness, emotional understanding, empathy and responsibility are the real foundations of road safety. Only when care becomes duty and intention turns into behavior and habit, can India build a safe and responsive road society.
