The Supreme Court has ordered NHAI to take strong steps against illegal occupation of highway land. It also directed the formation of police surveillance teams to ensure regular patrolling and prevent future encroachments along national highways.
New Delhi: The Supreme Court has directed the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) to take effective measures to address unauthorized occupation of highway lands and to establish surveillance teams of police officials for regular patrolling.
Additionally, the Court instructed the Centre to widely publicize the availability of the ‘Rajmargyatra’ mobile application across print, electronic, and social media platforms.
The NHAI launched the ‘Rajmargyatra’ mobile app to provide comprehensive information and facilitate efficient complaint redressal for users of national highways.
A bench comprising Justices Abhay S Oka and Augustine George Masih stated that information about the mobile application should be prominently displayed at toll and food plazas along highways.
The bench remarked,
“We direct the Joint Secretary to file on record the details of various categories of complaints lodged on the ‘Rajmargyatra’ mobile application, including complaints regarding unauthorized occupation of highway lands and action taken thereon. We further direct NHAI to report compliance regarding the creation of a grievance redressal portal for reporting complaints relating to unauthorized occupation of highways. The compliance affidavits shall be filed within three months,”
The Court also mandated the highway administration to issue a detailed Standard Operating Procedure for the formation of teams to inspect national highways, including data collection on unauthorized land occupation.
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The bench added, setting the next compliance date for September 15,
“We direct the Union of India to constitute surveillance teams consisting of State police or other forces. The duty of the surveillance teams will be to do patrolling regularly and punctually. Even this compliance shall be reported within a period of three months. We direct the highway administration and the concerned respondents who are members of the same to take into consideration the suggestions submitted by the amicus curiae on October 5, 2024, and take steps to implement the said suggestions,”
The Supreme Court was hearing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by Gyan Prakash, who sought various directions for the implementation of the Control of National Highways Act, 2002, and the removal of encroachments from highways.
Advocate Swati Ghildiyal was appointed as amicus curiae by the apex court to assist in the matter.
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