New Delhi: Observing that highways should not become corridors of danger due to administrative inactivity or infrastructural lapses, the Supreme Court issued a slew of all-India guidelines to enhance road safety, including a ban on parking of heavy vehicles on such roads.
Justices JK Maheshwari and AS Chandorkar noted that national highways constitute 2% of the total road length in India but account for nearly 30% of all road deaths.
A bench of Justices JK Maheshwari and AS Chandorkar directed the Ministry of Roads and Transport, National Highways Authority of India, states and union territories to make roads safer, observing that loss of a single life due to avoidable hazards like illegal parking, black spots etc, represents failure of the protective umbrella of the state.
“The loss of a single person’s life due to avoidable hazards like illegal parking, black spots etc. represents a failure in the protective umbrella of the state. The ‘right to life’ enshrined under Article 21 of the Constitution of India is not just a guarantee against unlawful killing of life, but a positive mandate on the state to ensure a safe environment in which human life is preserved and valued,” the Supreme Court said in its April 13 order.
It passed the order in a suo motu case registered in the wake of the loss of 34 persons in back-to-back road accidents on November 2 and 3, 2025, in Phalodi in Rajasthan, and Rangareddy in Telangana over the systemic negligence and catastrophic infrastructural failure that led to these inevitable losses.
“Recognizing the safety of passengers as an integral aspect of the right to live with dignity as a constitutional obligation under Article 21 of the Constitution of India, it is necessary in the interest of addressing the systemic root causes of issuance of these interim directions in exercise of powers under Article 142 of the Constitution of India,” the bench, which issued general directions in India, said.
The court reiterates that no financial or administrative restrictions can outweigh the sanctity of human life, and that the strict timelines set forth in this law reflect the urgency of this constitutional obligation, the court said.
It has directed that no heavy or commercial vehicle should be parked/stopped on any national highway or paved shoulder except at a designated bay, farewell or roadside amenities.
It said that direction enforcement will be implemented through advanced traffic management system – real-time ATMS alerts of the state police, Global Positioning System (GPS) – photographic evidence with timestamps, and integrated eChallan generation.
“These directions shall be adhered to by the officers and employees of the National Highways Authority of India, State Police and State Transport Department. The District Magistrates concerned shall frame standard operating procedures for the purpose in respect of regular inspections and patrolling by all such authorities. These directions shall be adhered to within 60 days from the date of this order,” it said.
One of the important directions included prohibition with immediate effect on construction/operation of any new dhaba, restaurant or commercial structure within the right of way of any national highway.
“The district magistrates shall enforce the demolition/removal of all new or existing unauthorized structures within 60 days, in relation to the procedures of the CNH Act and Standard Operating Procedures dated August 7, 2025,” the bench directed.
It said that no department, authority or local body shall grant or renew any licence, NOC or business approval for any site within the highway safety zones without prior permission of NHAI/PWD and all existing licenses for such sites must be reviewed within 30 days.
The bench also directed, “In every district through which the National Highway passes, the District Magistrate concerned shall within 15 days of this order constitute a Highway Safety Task Force in every district across India within seven days of this order, comprising officers of the district administration, police, National Highways Authority, PWD and local bodies.”
Likewise, it also directed surveillance, patrolling and monitoring of illegal parking on national highways, activation of advanced traffic management system – ATM comprising cameras, speed detectors, emergency response and roadside facilities, construction of truck parking facilities, accident black spots, lighting and institutional coordination, reporting and road safety committee.
It asked the Ministry of Health to file a compliance report after seeking data from various states and agencies before this court within 75 days from the date of filing of this order.
“The authorities concerned may take appropriate steps to coordinate with and facilitate all stakeholders for the purpose of implementing the directions issued by this court. It is also clear that in case there are compliance issues, the parties are at liberty to approach this court,” the bench said, posting the order for compliance two months later.
On December 15 last year, the Supreme Court considered formulating all-India guidelines for preventing road accidents on highways and national highways.
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