Highways must not become ‘corridors of peril’: Supreme Court flags safety gaps, issues nationwide directions

“A road, particularly a high-speed Expressway, must not become a corridor of peril due to administrative lethargy or infrastructural gaps. The loss of even a single life to avoidable hazards like illegal parking or blackspots etc., represents a failure of the State’s protective umbrella,’ the court said on April 13.

Acting on joint suggestions from the solicitor general and the amicus curiae, the Supreme Court issued a detailed set of time-bound directions. (Image enhanced using AI)

Safety constitutional obligation

• It is seen that National Highways constitute approximately 2 per cent of India’s total road length but account for nearly 30 per cent of all road fatalities.
• The ‘Right to Life’ enshrined under Article 21 of the Constitution of India is not merely a guarantee against the unlawful taking of life, but a positive mandate upon the State to ensure a safe environment where human life is preserved and valued.
• Therefore, recognising the safety of the commuter as an integral facet of the right to live with dignity as a constitutional obligation under Article 21 of Constitution of India, it is necessary in the interest to address the systematic root causes.
• We reiterate that no pecuniary or administrative constraint can outweigh the sanctity of human life, and the strict timelines provided herein reflect the urgency of this constitutional obligation.
• These interim directions are issued in exercise of powers under Article 142 of the Constitution of India.

13-point safety blueprint: Court’s directions

Acting on joint suggestions from the solicitor general and the amicus curiae, the Supreme Court issued a detailed set of time-bound directions.

(a) Prohibition on authorised parking

No heavy or commercial vehicle shall park/stop on any national highway carriageway or paved shoulder except at a designated bay, lay-bye or wayside amenity. Enforcement to be through ATMS real-time alerts, GPS-timestamped photographic evidence and integrated e-challan generation, with SOPs and compliance within 60 days, said the  Supreme Court.

(b) Inspection, survey and citizen grievance

Highway authorities shall, within 30 days, file a consolidated report on inspection teams, encroachments and compliance status, fully operationalise the Rajmargyatra complaint module, helpline 1033, and conduct drone-based surveys with periodic reporting.

(c) Encroachment prohibition and removal

No construction or operation of any new dhaba, eatery or commercial structure within the Right of Way, all unauthorised structures to be removed within 60 days as per law and SOP, ordered the  Supreme Court.

(d) Grant and renewal of licence/NOC

No licence, NOC or trade approval shall be granted or renewed within highway safety zones without prior clearance; existing licences to be reviewed within 30 days, said the  Supreme Court.

(e) District Highway Safety Task Force

Each district to constitute a task force within stipulated time, comprising administration, police and highway authorities, joint responsibility for enforcement, regular meetings, and land-use restrictions near highways to be notified, ordered the  Supreme Court.

(f) Surveillance, patrolling and illegal parking

Dedicated surveillance teams to be set up within 30 days for regular highway patrolling, supported by vehicle tracking systems and continuous monitoring.

(g) Operationalisation of ATMS

Full activation of Advanced Traffic Management Systems across highways, including cameras, speed detectors, message boards and emergency call boxes, with compliance affidavit within 60 days.

(h) Emergency response and wayside amenities

Deployment of ambulances and recovery cranes at intervals not exceeding 75 km to ensure timely emergency response, in line with Article 21 obligations.

(i) Construction of truck lay-bye facilities

Ensure construction of truck lay-bys at regular intervals and operationalisation of wayside amenities with basic facilities like rest areas, food, washrooms and signage.

(j) Additional lay-bye facilities

Authorities may provide additional lay-bys wherever necessary to allow drivers adequate rest.

(k) Accident blackspots and lighting

Identify and publish accident blackspots within 45 days, install lighting, speed cameras and warning systems within prescribed timelines.

(l) Institutional coordination and road safety committee

Set up an inter-state coordination mechanism to standardise enforcement protocols, surveillance and penalties across states.

(m) Compliance report

All agencies to ensure compliance within timelines and submit consolidated reports before the court within 75 days.

These directions, issued under the court’s constitutional powers, form a structured, time-bound framework for improving highway safety nationwide.

Conclusion

TheSupreme Court directed all implementing agencies, including NHAI and state authorities, to submit compliance reports within 75 days. 

Copies of the order have been circulated to chief secretaries and police chiefs across states and union territories to ensure nationwide implementation.

With the matter scheduled for further hearing after two months, the Supreme Court’s intervention signals a strong push towards systemic reform in highway safety, placing responsibility squarely on authorities to prevent avoidable tragedies on India’s roads.

Writ Petition No.13029: How a 40-year legal battle forced Delhi’s buses to go green

On March 12, nearly four decades after it intervened, the Supreme Court closed the case that has often been held up as an exemplar of its interventionist, public-spirited jurisdiction. A bench headed by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant disposed of the petition to reduce, what the court described as, “massive pendency” and to modernise the legal approach to air quality.

In the choking haze of a Delhi winter morning, in 1991, the Supreme Court, in a ruling, presented several apocalyptic scenarios — from the polluting effects of the Gulf War, what-if questions around the USSR carrying out a nuclear test, and memories of the Bhopal Gas Tragedy closer home — to underline that the country ought to get serious about the environment.

“Law alone… cannot help in restoring a balance in the biospheric disturbance. Nor can funds help effectively. The situation requires perception and imaginative planning. It also requires sustained effort and result-oriented strategic action,” the ruling by a three-judge bench headed by then Chief Justice Ranganath Misra said. The SC mooted the idea of setting up a high-powered committee to assess the situation and the petition was “kept pending for monitoring”.