The Supreme Court has taken suo motu cognisance of a road accident in Rajasthan’s Phalodi, where a tempo carrying pilgrims struck a stationary truck, killing 15 people. 

While hearing the matter on Monday, the Court directed the NHAI (National Highway Authority of India) to submit a report explaining how Dhabas along the national highways are situated in areas that are not notified as facility areas by the authorities. 

A bench of Justices JK Maheshwari and Vijay Bishnoi also asked the NHAI to submit a report on the bad conditions of the highways despite tolls being collected. 

The Supreme Court, in this suo motu petition, is also cognisant of the recent bus accident that took place on the Hyderabad-Bijapur highway, killing 19 people. 

Both accidents, which occurred within a period of two weeks on separate routes, have resulted in 33 deaths, the Court noted. The reasons for the said accidents, the Court noted, are bad conditions of the highway routes in certain areas and non-compliance with highway construction norms. 

The reasons above were explicitly mentioned in newspaper reports, which prompted the Court to initiate a case suo motu (on its own motion). During the hearing, the top court asked NHAI, 

“How is it that dhabas are situated along the highways? People stop their trucks at these dhabas, leading to vehicles being parked on the roadside. We want to understand from the NHAI how such a situation has been allowed to develop and continue. In just two days, two incidents have occurred, resulting in the loss of 14 and 19 lives.” 

The apex court has now directed that the NHAI submit its reports on the condition of roads on highways that are causing such tragic accidents.