‘We have to understand how this can be regulated’: Supreme Court seeks responses from NHAI, Road Transport Ministry over Rajasthan road accident

The SC had taken suo motu cognisance of reports about the accident which took place on the Bharat Mala Highway when a Tempo Traveller rammed into a trailer parked on the road from behind.

The Supreme Court is investigating unauthorized roadside eateries contributing to highway accidents, specifically citing the Phalodi accident. (Source: Express Archives)

The Supreme Court Monday observed that unauthorised roadside eateries were contributing to accidents on highways, and sought a response from the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) on this.

A bench of Justices J K Maheshwari and Vijay Bishnoi called for a survey to find out the number of such unauthorised dhabas located alongside the highway passing through Phalodi in Rajasthan, where 15 people lost their lives in a road accident on November 2.

The SC had taken suo motu cognisance of reports about the accident which took place on the Bharat Mala Highway when a Tempo Traveller rammed into a trailer parked on the road from behind. The police said the victims were returning from the Kolayat Temple in Bikaner after offering prayers at the Kapil Muni Ashram.

Story continues below this ad

According to eyewitnesses, the truck was parked in front of an eatery, and the Tempo Traveller was trying to overtake another vehicle when it collided with the truck parked on the side of the road.

Hearing it Monday, the bench remarked that “dhabas have been opened by the general public in areas which are not available for them to do this”.

“In consequence, the vehicles go and park there. The other vehicles are not in a position to see the standing vehicles on the road, colliding with such vehicles. In such circumstances, it is essential to ask NHAI and the Ministry of Road Transport to submit a report, in particular, with respect to two highways where the accidents took place.”

“People stop their trucks and go to the dhabas. And the other vehicles coming on speed collide with them. We have to understand how this can be regulated,” observed Justice Maheshwari.

Story continues below this ad

The bench also asked authorities to apprise it about the road conditions and the norms followed by contractors during maintenance. The bench also directed that the Union Ministry of Home Affairs and the chief secretaries of the states through which the highways pass be added as parties to the matter.