HC expresses concern over accidents, stray cattle on National Highway

The High Court has expressed serious concern over the frequent accidents and stray cattle on the National Highway. While hearing the PILs, the court said that the movement of cattle on the roads is a big threat to the lives of the common people and immediate concrete action is necessary on this. Expressing displeasure, the court said that the disorderly parking of trucks in front of the dhabas on the Pendridih bypass is not only spoiling the system but also spreading dirt. The court made a sharp comment and said that those who own this land should build houses there and live there, then it will be understood. Due to the disorder spread on the Pendridih bypass, people coming and going for medical emergency and other important work have to face a lot of problems, get it improved as soon as possible. The case was heard in the DB of Chief Justice Ramesh Sinha and Justice Ravindra Kumar Agarwal.

The High Court has expressed serious concern over the frequent accidents and stray cattle on the National Highway. While hearing the PILs, the court said that the movement of cattle on the roads is a big threat to the lives of the common people and immediate concrete action is necessary on this. Expressing displeasure, the court said that the haphazard parking of trucks in front of the dhabas on the Pendridih bypass is not only spoiling the system but also spreading dirt. The court made a sharp comment and said that those who own this land should build their houses there and live there, then only it will be understood. Due to the chaos spread on the Pendridih bypass, people going for medical emergency and other important work have to face a lot of problems, get it rectified as soon as possible. The case was heard in the DB of Chief Justice Ramesh Sinha and Justice Ravindra Kumar Agarwal.

The court also said that haphazard parking of vehicles, incidents, dirt and careless police patrolling on the Pendridih bypass are worsening the system. The RTO is also not paying attention. The court said in a strict tone that understand its seriousness. Whether a person is going for a medical emergency or for any other work, the chaos there causes huge problems. NHAI should also pay attention to this.

Regarding their efforts to prevent accidents, the NHAI told the court that additional route patrolling vehicles have been deployed and surveillance has been increased. Work has started on building cattle platforms at Pendridih village, while shelters will be built at Ratanpur and Belmundi. A tender has been issued for installing bamboo fencing (safety cover) for 7.35 km. Travellers are being cautioned by distributing pamphlets and making announcements at toll plazas. Reflective neck belts are being worn by cattle so that they can be seen even at night. Work has also started to install street lights on sensitive parts of the highway.

Collector Bilaspur informed in an affidavit that encroachment has been removed from the Pendridih bypass area. All street lights have been switched on. Municipal Corporation and Nagar Panchayat Bodri have deployed employees to remove cattle regularly. Gai-shikari (cattle catcher) vehicles are running continuously.

The court reprimanded the Chief Secretary of the state that no personal affidavit has been filed so far on the accident in which seven cattle died. The court said that the accountability of the responsible officers should be fixed. During the hearing, the court commissioner has brought to the notice that the court order of July 16, 2025 directed the Chief Secretary of the state to file his personal affidavit regarding the road accident on the National Highway, in which seven cattle had lost their lives on the National Highway earlier. No affidavit has been filed by the Chief Secretary in compliance with the above order. In view of this, the Chief Secretary has been ordered to file his personal affidavit till the next hearing.

The court found that the action of NHAI has been limited only to Bilaspur-Sargaon bypass, while the situation on Bilaspur-Ambikapur Highway (Ratanpur Marg) is very bad. On