Govt calls to plug gaps to curb accidents on highways

Bhubaneswar: The state govt has directed authorities to plug systemic safety gaps on national highways following a spate of fatal accidents.Specific instructions have gone out from the transport department on Monday to Odisha police, National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), and the works and urban development departments to take time-bound action on highway safety, illegal parking, encroachment removal, advanced traffic management systems, truck terminals and wayside amenities.Citing the Supreme Court’s interim directions issued on April 13, the transport department has reminded agencies that “no heavy or commercial vehicle shall park or stop on any national highway carriageway or paved shoulders except at designated bays, lay-bys or wayside amenities.”The transport department’s letter urged NHAI to construct truck lay-by facilities every 75 km and operationalise wayside amenities with safe parking, rest areas, food services, washrooms, first-aid and retro-reflective signages.

“Priority must be given to stretches passing through habitations, market areas, schools, industrial clusters, and bus pick-up points,” the letter read.“The provision of well-designed bus bays near such habitations is critical, as unsafe halt of buses on national highways poses a significant risk to passengers, pedestrians, two-wheeler users and high-speed traffic,” the letter stressed. It added that bus bays may be integrated with truck lay-bys and wayside amenities “without compromising the safety and operational efficiency of heavy vehicles.”

The housing and urban development department has been told not to grant or renew trade approvals for sites within highway safety zones without prior clearance from NHAI or public works department. Existing licences must be reviewed within 30 days.“All municipal corporations, municipalities, NACs and development authorities may be instructed to ensure strict compliance with the directions of the Supreme Court in a time-bound manner,” the letter noted.The works department has been tasked with engineering-related safety measures, including removal of encroachments, rectification of black spots, provision of lighting, and strengthening of road safety infrastructure.The transport department has asked Odisha police to immediately form dedicated highway surveillance teams for patrolling and enforcing the ban on illegal parking and stoppages. “Police should also provide manpower to district enforcement authorities during removal of encroachment,” the letter to the DGP stated.The govt has also directed district collectors to form dedicated highway safety task forces to address safety concerns on national highways through coordinated action.