New Delhi, Nov 10 The Supreme Court on Monday sought detailed reports from the state governments of Rajasthan and Telangana, as well as the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, in the suo motu case concerning two deadly highway accidents that claimed nearly 40 lives last week.
A Bench of Justices J.K. Maheshwari and Vijay Bishnoi, hearing the matter titled “In Re: Phalodi Accident”, directed authorities to conduct a comprehensive survey of the two highways where the incidents occurred and file their reports within two weeks.
Taking note of media reports that highlighted “poor road conditions” of the Bharatmala stretch near Rajasthan’s Phalodi and the Telangana–Bijapur highway, the apex court said the reasons behind the accidents were “explicitly indicated” in news items and required immediate steps.
“The road conditions are not good though tolls are being charged,” the Justice Maheshwari-led Bench observed, adding that several dhabas had come up “on areas not notified for such facilities”.
“The situation is that the dhabas are situated on the bank of the road, which is not notified for this. People stop their trucks and go to the dhabas. And the other vehicles coming at speed collide with them. We have to understand how this can be regulated,” it added.
The Supreme Court also appointed an amicus curiae (friend of the court) to assist in the matter. The writ petition has been registered suo motu following two major accidents: the November 2 Phalodi crash in which a tempo traveller carrying women and children returning from a pilgrimage in Rajasthan’s Jodhpur district rammed into a stationary truck, killing at least 18 people; and the November 3 collision on the Telangana–Bijapur highway that resulted in 20 fatalities.
The Justice Maheshwari-led Bench directed NHAI and the Union Ministry of Road Transport to specify the number of dhabas situated along the road in areas “not notified for such facility”, the condition of the road surface, and compliance with maintenance norms by private contractors.
The Union Ministry of Home Affairs was also ordered to be impleaded, along with the Chief Secretaries of all states through which the two highways pass.
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