The Supreme Court has ruled that highway safety is an integral part of the right to life under Article 21 of the Constitution, emphasizing the State's positive obligation to prevent avoidable fatalities.
A bench of justices JK Maheshwari and AS Chandurkar observed that a high-speed expressway 'must not become a corridor of peril due to administrative lethargy or infrastructural gaps.'
The court issued nationwide directions to strengthen highway safety mechanisms, including identifying and rectifying accident-prone 'blackspots', enforcing strict parking regulations, and improving infrastructure.
The bench also emphasized the need for institutional coordination, data-driven decision-making, and public awareness to ensure road safety is a shared responsibility.
The court directed authorities to implement these directions and will monitor compliance in two months.
