SC asks Centre to set up teams to inspect, remove national highway encroachments

New Delhi: Expressing concern over encroachments on national and state highways, the Supreme Court on Tuesday directed the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MORTH) to constitute different teams for frequent and regular inspections of the roads for unauthorised occupations.

A bench of Justices Abhay S Oka and Augustine George Masih also directed the ministry to create a portal, where people can report and upload pictures about encroachments on the highways.

While directing the Centre for giving wide publicity to the portal, the bench directed that a toll-free number be also set up where people can report about the encroachments and unauthorised occupations on the highways. The top court was hearing a PIL filed by a person named Gyan Prakash whereby he sought various directions for implementation of provisions of the Control of National Highways (Land and Traffic) Act, 2002 and removal of encroachments from the highways.

Advocate Swati Ghildiyal, who has been appointed amicus curiae by the Apex Court for assisting in the matter, submitted that a circular dated March 18, 2020, was issued by the ministry under which teams were to be created for frequent inspection of highways for encroachments.

The bench directed the ministry to create proper teams for inspection of highways and asked the state governments to assist the teams in removal of encroachments from the highways. It asked the Centre to comply with its direction by September 30 and directed the ministry to furnish data on action taken as per its circular dated March 18, 2020, where teams were to be constituted for inspection of national highways and encroachments on them. Indicating that it will also pass directions with regard to state highways, the bench listed the matter for hearing on October 14. On April 30, the top court said that it was not satisfied with the data provided by MORTH on constituting teams as per March 18, 2020 circular for carrying out frequent inspection of the national highways for ascertaining existence of encroachments on the highways.

It directed the ministry to file a specific affidavit placing on record the details of the inspections carried out on the national highways and actions of removal of encroachments taken on the highways in Assam, Gujarat, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal. It had sought data of the inspections carried out by the inspection squads and action of removal of encroachments taken in these States up to June 30, 2024.