The Supreme Court has laid down sweeping nationwide guidelines to improve road safety, stressing that highways must not become "death traps" due to negligence or poor infrastructure. The directions come with a strict 60-day timeline for enforcement, per Financial Express.
Court flags rising fatalities
A bench of Justices JK Maheshwari and AS Chandurkar highlighted that national highways, though accounting for just 2 per cent of India's road network, contribute to nearly 30 per cent of road fatalities. The court said such figures point to systemic failures that require urgent correction.
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The order arose from a suo motu case linked to fatal accidents on November 2-3, 2025, in Rajasthan's Phalodi and Telangana's Rangareddy district, which together claimed 34 lives. The bench observed that even a single preventable death violates the Right to Life under Article 21.
Ban on highway parking, strict enforcement
The court directed a complete ban on heavy and commercial vehicles stopping on highway carriageways or shoulders, except at designated bays or authorised facilities.
To ensure compliance, authorities will rely on Advanced Traffic Management Systems (ATMS) for real-time alerts, GPS-tagged photographic evidence and e-challan generation. District magistrates have been asked to frame standard operating procedures for joint patrols involving police, NHAI and transport departments.
Crackdown on illegal roadside structures
The court also ordered strict action against unauthorised constructions along highways. New dhabas, eateries or commercial establishments within the Right of Way (ROW) have been prohibited.
District authorities must remove existing illegal structures within 60 days, following the Control of National Highways Act SOP issued on August 7, 2025. Licences or NOCs for such locations will not be permitted without approval from relevant authorities, and existing permissions are to be reviewed within 30 days.
District-level task forces
Every district with national highways will set up a safety task force within seven days. These teams will include officials from district administration, police, NHAI/PWD and local bodies.
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Their focus areas include installation of cameras, speed monitoring systems, emergency response mechanisms, truck lay-bys, fixing accident-prone spots and improving lighting.
Timeline for compliance
The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has been directed to submit a compliance report within 75 days. The matter is expected to be reviewed again by the court in two months.
