The issue of encroachment and vehicles parked on highways was raised in the Supreme Court on Thursday.
The court asked the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) why a camera-based surveillance system and monitoring rooms could not be set up at toll plazas.
A bench of Justice Vikram Nath and Justice Sandeep Mehta was hearing a case related to a road accident in Rajasthan’s Phalodi area, which the court had taken suo motu cognisance of. Fifteen people were killed in the accident.
The bench said that encroachment on highways and vehicles parked along the roads are two major problems.
The NHAI’s counsel said that circulars had been issued for regular patrolling to prevent unauthorised parking on highways.
The next hearing in the case will be held on October 6.
The bench told the NHAI, “Why can’t you consider a surveillance system using cameras? Monitoring rooms can be set up at all toll plazas.”
Senior Advocate A.N.S. Nadkarni, who is assisting the Supreme Court in the case, said that illegal parking on highways is one of the major problems and can lead to road accidents.
The bench also noted that the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Tamil Nadu government had not yet filed their compliance affidavits. The court gave the two ministries two weeks to file their affidavits.
The bench directed the Tamil Nadu government to submit its affidavit before the next hearing.
Court took action after Phalodi accident
In November last year, the Supreme Court took suo motu cognisance of the road accident that took place in Phalodi on November 2. A tempo traveller collided with a parked trailer truck in the accident.
The incident took place near Matoda village on the Bharatmala Highway. The tempo traveller was travelling from Kolayat temple in Bikaner to Jodhpur.
Interim directions regarding parking and dhabas on highways
On April 13, the Supreme Court issued several interim directions. It said that no heavy or commercial vehicle could be parked or stationed on the carriageway or paved shoulder of a national highway.
Such vehicles can stop only at designated parking bays, lay-bys or roadside amenities. The court also prohibited the construction and operation of new dhabas, eateries and other commercial structures within the right-of-way of any national highway.
The Supreme Court directed the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways and the NHAI to identify accident-prone blackspots and other high-risk areas. It also asked for a complete list of blackspots on national highways to be made public.
The court observed that national highways make up about 2% of India’s total road length but account for around 30% of road accident deaths.
It said that roads, particularly high-speed expressways, “should not become death traps due to administrative negligence or infrastructure deficiencies.”
