'Red Signal Not Enough' : Supreme Court Suggests Speed Breakers & Rumble Strips Near Delhi High Court Road Crossing
The Supreme Court today(September 15) asked the Union Government to take a decision to add speed breakers and rumble strips near the Delhi High Court crossing, which is also near the National Zoological Garden.
It may be recalled that last year, a bench comprising Justice JB Pardiwala and Justice KV Viswanathan raised concern over the absence of a pedestrian crossing near the High Court in a 2013 public interest litigation filed by orthopaedic surgeon Dr. S. Rajaseekaran on road safety reforms. The Court pointed out a serious safety lapse that can endanger the lives of people who cross the busy stretch every day without traffic signals, foot overbridges, or other safety measures.
Today, Senior Advocate and Amicus Curiae Gaurav Agarwal pointed out that the Union Government has now put a red light signal at that crossing. He said that there was no pedestrian crossing, so a lot of High Court employees would get down on the left side of the road to cross to the right side manually. He stated that there is no construction possible on that side due to the Purana Quila. However, he said that it is not enough and suggested that speed breakers and rumble strips be added. He further proposed that the Union should constitute an expert committee to examine vehicular movement and traffic to see what remedial measures should be adopted.
"My suggestion is to let MORTH[Ministry of Road Transport and Highways], examine the vehicular movement and the pedestrian traffic flow," he said.
Additional Solicitor General Vikram Banerjee responded that adding the red signal is enough, but if the Court wants anything further, the Union will do it.
At this, Justice Pardiwala said: "It's a matter of lives. We will visit, both of us. You join us. Everybody will go there. Do you want to do that? It is for public interest."
When ASG said we tried to come up with better solutions, Justice Pardiwala said: "Solutions in India should be much, much better."
In the order passed in October 2025, the Supreme Court has issued a slew of directions, directing a nationwide survey to identify dentify locations where additional pedestrian crossings are required. One site flagged in the order was the Delhi High Court crossing.
“One can give the example of the road crossing at the Delhi High Court and the National Zoological Garden on Mathura Road where every day thousands of employees, litigants, lawyers, children, and families cross the road, without any red light or foot overbridge or any traffic calming measure, putting their lives at risk,” the Court had observed.
The Court had directed that priority be given to the road crossing at the Delhi High Court and the National Zoological Garden on the Mathura Road.
Today, the Court also disposed of some interlocutory applications, also concerning vehicle tracking devices and the constitution of the National Road Safety Board. The Court has passed a direction asking the Union to specify whether the board has now become fully functional on the next date of hearing.
Case Details: S.RAJASEEKARAN v UNION OF INDIA AND ORS. AND ORS.|W.P.(C) No. 295/2012