The Supreme Court on Monday granted States and Union Territories four weeks to file compliance affidavits in a batch of road safety public interest litigations, after being informed that only four States had submitted compliance reports pursuant to the Court’s earlier directions.

A Bench of Justice Vikram Nath and Justice Sanjay Kumar was informed by Senior Advocate Atmaram Nadkarni, appearing as Amicus Curiae, that compliance reports had been received from only four States. He submitted that several affidavits had been filed only yesterday and sought time to examine them and prepare a consolidated status report indicating the directions that had been complied with and those that remained pending.

The Court observed that its principal directions had already been issued in earlier orders and that the present exercise was to assess compliance by the authorities. Accordingly, it directed all remaining States and Union Territories to file their compliance affidavits within four weeks, after which the Amicus Curiae would compile the responses and place a consolidated report before the Court.

During the hearing, the Bench also flagged concerns over encroachments along highways and the parking of trucks on road shoulders, observing that such encroachments force vehicles onto highways, defeating the very purpose of developing highway infrastructure.

The Court further heard submissions in connected applications, including a plea seeking installation of reverse parking sensors and cameras in vehicles, and another seeking stricter enforcement of laws against drunken driving. The Bench indicated that these issues would be considered along with the larger road safety matters pending before it.

The matter will now be taken up after the compliance reports are filed and the consolidated status report is placed before the Court.