2 hrs ago
Supreme Court Presses NHAI on Highway CCTV and Encroachments
The Supreme Court is examining how to make India’s highways safer.
It said that illegal structures and vehicles stopped on highways can cause serious accidents.
The judges asked whether cameras could watch highways near toll plazas.
They also suggested having rooms where people could monitor those cameras.
The highway authority said it already orders inspections and patrols.
The case began after a crash in Phalodi killed 15 people.
Earlier, the court said heavy vehicles should stop only in approved places.
It also ordered officials to identify dangerous accident blackspots and prevent new roadside commercial structures in highway areas.
The Supreme Court identified highway encroachments and stationary vehicles as major safety concerns.
The bench asked the National Highways Authority of India why CCTV surveillance and monitoring rooms cannot be installed at toll plazas.
NHAI said it has issued circulars requiring regular inspections and patrolling to prevent unauthorised highway parking.
The court granted two weeks to the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways and Ministry of Home Affairs to file compliance affidavits.
The case stems from a Phalodi accident in which a tempo traveller hit a stationary trailer truck, killing 15 people.
- Who
- A Supreme Court bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta, the National Highways Authority of India, and government ministries are involved.
- What
- The court questioned highway encroachments, stationary vehicles, and the possible installation of CCTV systems at toll plazas.
- Where
- The hearing took place in New Delhi and concerns national highways, including the accident location near Matoda village in Rajasthan’s Phalodi area.
- When
- The hearing was reported on Thursday, September 3; the matter was posted for October 6, with affidavits due within two weeks.
- Why
- The court is examining highway safety after a stationary trailer truck was struck by a tempo traveller, killing 15 people.
Supreme Court’s Safety Proposal
NHAI’s Existing Enforcement Approach
Highway monitoring
Supreme Court’s Safety Proposal
The bench suggested camera surveillance systems and monitoring rooms at all toll plazas to address encroachments and stationary vehicles.
NHAI’s Existing Enforcement Approach
NHAI said it has issued circulars requiring regular inspections and patrolling to check unauthorised parking.
Illegal parking
Supreme Court’s Safety Proposal
The court and its amicus curiae said vehicles illegally parked on highways are a major cause of road accidents and require stronger monitoring.
NHAI’s Existing Enforcement Approach
NHAI presented inspections and patrols as its stated mechanism for dealing with unauthorised parking; the report does not state whether it accepted or rejected the CCTV proposal.
Key facts
- Court bench
- Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta
- Case origin
- A road accident in Rajasthan’s Phalodi area in which 15 people died
- Proposed measure
- CCTV surveillance and monitoring rooms at toll plazas
- NHAI response
- The authority cited circulars requiring regular inspections and patrolling
- Affidavits pending
- The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, Ministry of Home Affairs, and Tamil Nadu government had not filed compliance affidavits
- Previous court direction
- Heavy or commercial vehicles may stop on national highways only at designated bays, lay-bys, or wayside amenities
- Fatality statistic cited
- National highways make up approximately 2% of India’s road length but account for nearly 30% of road fatalities
Quotes
Supreme Court bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta
The Supreme Court bench hearing the highway safety case
“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. A road, particularly a high-speed expressway, must not become a corridor of peril due to administrative lethargy or infrastructural gaps”
theprint.in
“Why can't you think of having a camera surveillance system? You can have monitoring rooms at all toll plazas.”
deccanchronicle.com
theprint.in
Sources
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