Chhattisgarh High Court Seeks Chief Secretary, NHAI Affidavits On Road Safety Measures After Nearly 10,000 Accident Deaths In 17 Months
The Chhattisgarh High Court has directed the Chief Secretary of the State and the Regional Officer of the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) to file affidavits detailing the steps taken to improve road safety and rectify identified accident-prone black spots, after noting that nearly 22,000 road accidents and almost 10,000 fatalities were reported in the State between 1 January 2025...
The Chhattisgarh High Court has directed the Chief Secretary of the State and the Regional Officer of the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) to file affidavits detailing the steps taken to improve road safety and rectify identified accident-prone black spots, after noting that nearly 22,000 road accidents and almost 10,000 fatalities were reported in the State between 1 January 2025 and 31 May 2026. The Court observed that road safety cannot be treated as a routine administrative exercise and requires continuous coordination among all stakeholders and sustained monitoring to reduce accidents and fatalities.
A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Ramesh Sinha and Justice Ravindra Kumar Agrawal was hearing a suo motu public interest litigation concerning road safety and the condition of major roads in Chhattisgarh. During the proceedings, the Court considered a personal affidavit filed by the Secretary, Public Works Department, in compliance with its earlier directions. The affidavit stated that work orders had been issued for strengthening and upgrading the NH-130A, an agreement had been executed with the contractor, and mobilisation advance had been released. It further informed the Court that repair and construction work on NH-343 was in progress and was scheduled to be completed within the stipulated timeline.
While noting and appreciating the progress made in relation to the road projects, the Bench observed that the issues involved were of considerable public importance and that the objective of the proceedings would be achieved only upon timely completion of the projects in accordance with prescribed standards. It therefore held that the matter required continued judicial monitoring.
The Court also examined a report submitted by the Court Commissioner enclosing information furnished by the Regional Transport Officer regarding road accidents, accident-prone black spots and the functioning of District Road Safety Committees. According to the report, 15,484 road accidents were reported in Chhattisgarh during the calendar year 2025, resulting in 6,967 deaths and 13,156 injuries. Between 1 January 2026 and 31 May 2026, a further 6,891 accidents resulted in 3,170 fatalities and 5,741 injuries. Observing that these figures were alarming, the Court emphasised the urgent need for effective implementation of road safety measures throughout the State.
The Bench further noted that every district has a District Road Safety Committee headed by the Collector, which is required to hold regular meetings to identify accident-prone locations and recommend preventive and corrective measures. However, it found that only one meeting had been convened in Surguja district during the relevant period, indicating inadequate monitoring.
Holding that effective road safety demands continuous coordination between the Transport Department, Public Works Department, Police Department, NHAI and district administrations, the Court directed the Chief Secretary, Government of Chhattisgarh, and the Regional Officer, NHAI, Raipur, to file affidavits indicating the action taken pursuant to the Court's earlier directions, the measures adopted for rectification of identified black spots, improvement of road safety and the proposed timeline for implementation of the remaining measures. The matter was directed to be listed for further hearing on 6 August 2026.
Case Title: In the Matter of Suo Motu Public Interest Litigation v. State of Chhattisgarh [WPPIL No. 37 of 2024]