The Supreme Court of India has laid down extensive nationwide guidelines to enhance road safety and curb fatalities on national highways, emphasising that expressways must not become hazardous due to weak enforcement or infrastructure shortcomings.
A bench comprising Justices J K Maheshwari and A S Chandurkar noted that although national highways constitute only about 2 percent of India’s total road network, they account for nearly 30 percent of road accident deaths. The court observed that even a single avoidable death points to serious lapses in governance and accountability.
As part of its directions, the court stated that heavy and commercial vehicles must not be parked or halted on highway carriageways or paved shoulders, except at designated parking zones or authorised roadside facilities. It also ordered an immediate prohibition on setting up or running new dhabas, eateries, or other commercial establishments within the Right of Way of national highways.
The bench further called for the deployment of advanced monitoring mechanisms, including real-time alerts through the Advanced Traffic Management System, GPS-based tracking supported by photographic evidence, and automatic issuance of e-challans for violations.
In addition, the court directed the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, the National Highways Authority of India, along with all state governments and Union Territory administrations, to urgently strengthen safety measures on highways. District magistrates have been asked to establish standard operating procedures for routine inspections and coordinated patrolling involving highway authorities, police, and transport departments.
The court has set a 60-day deadline for compliance, instructing all concerned agencies to implement these measures within the stipulated timeframe to ensure safer and more regulated highway traffic across the country.
