The Supreme Court on Monday raised serious concerns over the unchecked presence of illegal roadside dhabas and encroachments along national highways, questioning why the National Highways Authority of India has failed to act decisively despite repeated fatal accidents.
The court made it clear that responsibility for road safety cannot be endlessly shifted between agencies and asked the highway authority to present a clear plan outlining what powers it has and how those powers are being used on the ground.
The observations came during hearings linked to two deadly highway accidents in November that together claimed 34 lives. In Rajasthan&rsquo;s Phalodi, a bus carrying pilgrims crashed into a stationary trailer, killing 15 people. Hours later, a lorry rammed into a state transport bus in Telangana&rsquo;s Rangareddy district, leaving 19 dead.
In both cases, roadside parking, poor road upkeep and the presence of unauthorised dhabas were flagged as key factors contributing to the crashes.
The bench said identifying illegal structures was not enough and stressed the need to fix accountability. It questioned why the highway authority continued to rely on district officials and police to remove encroachments instead of taking direct action.
&ldquo;The NHAI is throwing mud on the contractor, police authorities or local administration. We want to understand the powers of the NHAI,&rdquo; Justice JK Maheshwari said, adding that road safety could not be left entirely to local administration.
Justice Vijay Bishnoi echoed the concern, pointing to widespread violations on major highways. &ldquo;I am a regular traveller on the Bharatmala Expressway. All over the highway, the illegal dhabas are there. Trucks are there,&rdquo; he remarked, underlining how such encroachments force heavy vehicles to park dangerously.
Responding to the court, the government&rsquo;s counsel acknowledged the problem, stating that while service roads exist for vehicles to stop safely, these areas are often taken over by dhabas. He said removal efforts face coordination challenges but assured the court that solutions would be explored.
The judges stressed that the focus must be on three aspects: what powers the highway authority has, what action has actually been taken, and who should be held responsible when rules are ignored.
&ldquo;We will issue some common guidelines to be followed pan India,&rdquo; Justice Maheshwari said, indicating that nationwide directions on road safety and encroachment control were being considered.
The court has now asked the highway authority to submit a detailed report explaining its enforcement powers, past actions taken, and lapses that allowed dangerous roadside practices to continue. The findings are expected to shape broader safety measures aimed at preventing similar tragedies across the country.

SC questions NHAI over illegal highway dhabas

Judges seek clear action plan after roadside encroachments linked to deadly accidents

SC questions NHAI over illegal highway dhabas

Judges seek clear action plan after roadside encroachments linked to deadly accidents

December 16, 2025 | 24:03 IST