The court took suo motu cognisance of the November 2 accident in Rajasthan’s Phalodi, where 15 devotees returning from Bikaner died after their tempo traveller collided with a stationary truck in Matoda village. A day later, another crash on the Bijapur Highway in Telangana left 20 people dead. Calling both incidents “deeply disturbing,” the bench observed that such deaths raise serious questions about enforcement and design standards on highways.
The Supreme Court issued notices to the NHAI, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, and the Ministry of Home Affairs. It directed the Rajasthan Chief Secretary to submit a status report detailing the number and condition of dhabas along highways, road maintenance records, and existing safety measures. Senior advocate Atmaram Nadkarni was appointed amicus curiae to assist in the case.
Additional Advocate General Shiv Mangal Sharma assured the court of full cooperation from the Rajasthan government. The bench also ordered that the Chief Secretary of Andhra Pradesh be included as a party to aid in framing a coordinated national policy on highway safety and regulation of roadside establishments.
The court is expected to examine whether the lack of regulation of roadside parking and structures contributed to the fatal crashes. The matter will next be heard after the states and agencies file their reports.
