SC Directs the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) to Establish Portal and Toll-Free Number for Encroachment Complaints on National Highways

On August 27, 2024 (Yesterday), the Supreme Court (SC) of India while hearing a writ petition by one Gyan Prakash Mishra highlighting the issue of encroachment on roads came down heavily on the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) over the lack of implementation on highway administration. The bench constituting Justice Abhay S Oka and Justice Augustine George Masih directed the MoRTH to establish a portal and a toll-free number for complaints about encroachments on national highways. The order reads, “The Ministry shall also endeavor to create a portal on which citizens can lodge complaints about the encroachments on highways. On the portal, a facility should be made available for citizens to the photographs of the encroached portions and location details of encroached portion. Moreover, a facility should also be created of a toll-free number.” It added, “We grant time till 30 September to implement these directions.”

During the proceedings, the SC bench noted that despite the Control of National Highways (Land and Traffic) Act, 2002, authorities are not taking action against encroachments. Therefore, the bench directed the MoRTH to create a digital portal and a toll-free number for citizens to file complaints about encroachments. It also ordered the Ministry to ensure its widespread publicity across all national highways and in the media. The bench added, “We may also make it clear that the mechanism which will be available for the National Highways will have to be extended to State highways as well and we propose to issue directions in this regard on the next date.” The matter was listed for further hearing on October 14, 2024.