Illegal eateries along highways to be removed, NHAI acts after SC order
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Kolkata: Illegal dhabas and eateries operating along National Highways will soon face eviction as the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) launches a major drive to remove unauthorised parking and encroachments, aiming to improve road safety and ensure smooth traffic movement.
The move follows directions from the Supreme Court against the parking of trucks along National Highway stretches, except at designated lay-bys, in an effort to prevent accidents.
The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways said that unauthorised vehicle parking, roadside encroachments and unregulated activities along highways pose serious risks to road users and affect traffic flow.
To address the issue, NHAI has identified 595 critical locations of unauthorised parking across different states, along with their longitude and latitude details. The authority is working closely with state governments, district administrations and enforcement agencies to remove illegal parking areas from National Highway corridors.
NHAI has also initiated action against encroachments along highways under the provisions of the Control of National Highways (Land and Traffic) Act, 2002.
The authority is coordinating with state governments to establish District Highway Safety Task Forces and appoint nodal officers to oversee compliance and improve coordination between agencies. These mechanisms are expected to support timely enforcement action and continuous monitoring of safety concerns across the National Highway network.
NHAI has further instructed its field offices to immediately audit all Advanced Traffic Management System (ATMS) installations and ensure that key safety components, including traffic monitoring cameras, video incident detection systems, variable speed detection systems, variable message signboards and emergency call boxes, remain fully functional.
The authority is also prioritising the deployment of ambulances and recovery vehicles, stronger highway patrolling, integration of ATMS alerts with enforcement agencies, and regular maintenance of safety infrastructure.
The measures are aimed at enabling faster emergency response, stronger enforcement and safer travel for highway users across the country.
With IANS inputs