NHAI Anti-Encroachment Drive Under Supreme Court Directive
The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) and the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) are conducting sustained anti-encroachment drives across the country in response to directives from the Supreme Court of India. The initiative aims to address unauthorized encroachments on national highways, which pose significant safety risks by narrowing carriageways, obstructing visibility, interfering with drainage systems, and creating unsafe entry and exit points that increase the risk of road crashes.
Scope and Execution of the Drive
NHAI's PIU Rajkot unit has launched a large-scale anti-encroachment drive in strict compliance with the Supreme Court's directives in Suo Motu Writ Petition (Civil) No. 9 of 2025. The authority surveyed nearly 693 kilometers of National Highways under its jurisdiction and identified significant safety hazards. A total of 1,403 notices were issued against unauthorized structures, illegal commercial accesses, and unapproved median cuts that contribute to fatal crashes on high-speed corridors.
Results and Specific Actions
The enforcement actions have yielded substantial results: NHAI has removed more than 361 illegal accesses and encroachments and permanently closed 150 unauthorized median gaps. The drive has been particularly focused on high-risk areas, including recent mega-drives that cleared hundreds of unauthorized occupations along the religiously significant Somnath-Dwarka Highway, specifically in Bardiya and the stretch from Honest Hotel to Hathi Chowk.
Coordination and Implementation
All operations were carried out in close coordination with respective District Magistrates (DMs) and Superintendents of Police (SPs) to ensure smooth and effective enforcement. The initiative is framed as both a road safety intervention and infrastructure protection measure, helping restore visibility, improve traffic flow, provide space for emergency operations, and safeguard public investment in national infrastructure while enabling future highway development without avoidable delays.