17 hrs ago
Supreme Court Questions NHAI on Electronic Highway Vehicle Tracking
The Supreme Court is considering ways to make highways safer.
It asked why the National Highways Authority of India cannot use electronic tools to find vehicles stopped or parked on highways.
The case is linked to a crash in Phalodi, Rajasthan, that killed 15 people.
A lawyer helping the court said illegal parking can cause accidents.
An advocate said the highway authority patrols roads, and its lawyer had also referred to inspection instructions.
The court will consider applications about removing highway encroachments at a later hearing.
It has already restricted where heavy and commercial vehicles may stop.
It also directed officials to identify and publish dangerous accident spots on national highways.
The Supreme Court asked why the National Highways Authority of India cannot electronically detect and track stationary or parked vehicles on highways.
The question arose in a suo motu case concerning a November 2025 crash in Rajasthan’s Phalodi area that killed 15 people.
An amicus curiae cited illegal highway parking as a cause of crashes; an advocate said NHAI patrols highways, and its counsel had cited inspection and patrol circulars.
The court posted the matter for October 13 and said it would consider applications concerning removal of highway encroachments.
Earlier interim directions restrict heavy and commercial vehicles from stopping on highway carriageways or paved shoulders except at designated areas, and prohibit new commercial structures within national highway rights-of-way.
- Who
- The Supreme Court of India, the National Highways Authority of India, and amicus curiae A N S Nadkarni.
- What
- The court questioned why NHAI cannot electronically track vehicles stopped or parked on highways.
- Where
- The hearing concerned national highways in India and a crash near Matoda village in Rajasthan’s Phalodi area.
- When
- The observation was made on Tuesday; the matter was posted for October 13. The articles do not specify the years for those dates.
- Why
- The court was examining highway safety, including illegal parking and stationary vehicles linked to road accidents.
Electronic Tracking
Patrols and Inspections
Detecting stopped vehicles
Electronic Tracking
The Supreme Court asked why NHAI could not use electronic surveillance to immediately track vehicles found stationary or parked on highways.
Patrols and Inspections
An advocate said NHAI patrols highways, and NHAI’s counsel had previously said the authority issued circulars for regular inspections and patrols to check unauthorised parking.
Key facts
- Case
- Suo motu proceedings related to a November 2025 crash in Phalodi, Rajasthan.
- Crash
- A tempo traveller struck a stationary trailer truck near Matoda village; 15 people were killed.
- Next hearing
- October 13.
- Vehicle stopping direction
- Heavy and commercial vehicles may not stop on a national highway carriageway or paved shoulder except at a designated bay, lay-by, or wayside amenity.
- Commercial structures
- The court prohibited construction or operation of new dhabas, eateries, or commercial structures within a national highway’s right-of-way.
- Accident blackspots
- The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways and NHAI were directed to identify critical areas and publish a comprehensive list of national highway accident blackspots.
- Road safety figures
- The court said national highways make up approximately 2% of India’s road length and account for nearly 30% of road fatalities.
Quotes
Supreme Court bench
The bench of Justices Vikram Nath, Augustine George Masih and Sandeep Mehta hearing the 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.”
deccanchronicle.com
rediff.com
“Why can't the NHAI, which has got all the resources with it, have some kind of an electronic surveillance mechanism by which any vehicle found stationary or parked on the highways be immediately tracked”
deccanchronicle.com
rediff.com
Sources
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