The Supreme Court has initiated suo motu proceedings concerning two recent road tragedies, one near Mathoda in Phalodi district, Rajasthan, which claimed 15 lives, and another near Chevella in Rangareddy district, Telangana, that resulted in 19 fatalities, including an infant.
The Bench comprising Justice J.K. Maheshwari and Justice Vijay Bishnoi took cognizance based on news reports highlighting the role of unauthorised roadside dhabas, parked trailers on highways, lack of lighting, and poor road maintenance as primary causes of the accidents.
The Court noted that the Phalodi accident occurred when a bus carrying pilgrims collided with a stationary trailer parked near a dhaba on the Bharatmala Expressway. The Court further noted the reports mentioning that multiple dhabas had proliferated alongside the national highway, and many trucks /trailers were parked in a similar fashion. In the Telangana incident, a gravel-laden truck coming from the opposite side rammed into a state transport bus while avoiding potholes on NH-163, underscoring the absence of street lights, dividers, and proper signage. The court noted another newspaper report mentioning that there were no street lights, dividers or signage over a long stretch of this highway.
Holding that such tragedies point to serious administrative lapses, the Court observed that the right to life under Article 21 includes the right to safe public infrastructure and imposes a positive obligation on the State to maintain roads responsibly.
The Supreme Court has directed the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways to conduct a survey and file reports, within two weeks, detailing the number of unauthorised dhabas operating along the concerned highways and the condition of road maintenance. The NHAI, Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, Ministry of Home Affairs and the Chief Secretaries of Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana, Gujarat, Telangana, and Chhattisgarh have also been made parties to the case and thy are to be notified accordingly.
The Court appointed Senior Advocate A.N.S. Nadkarni as Amicus Curiae to assist the Bench, with liberty to file documents after examining the state of highway conditions.
The matter will be taken up next on December 15, 2025.
Appearances
For State of Rajasthan- Mr. Shiv Mangal Sharma, AAG, Ms. Shalini Singh, Adv., Ms. Nidhi Jaswal, AOR
Amicus Curiae: Mr. A.N.S. Nadkarni, Sr. Adv. assisted by Mr. Jai Anant Dehadrai, AOR and Mr. Sughosh Subramanyam, Adv.
