Supreme Court Mandates New Standards For Road Design and Maintenance; Orders States To Frame Rules

In a move to boost road safety across the nation, the Supreme Court of India has ordered all States and Union Territories to frame and notify new rules within six months to govern the design, construction, and maintenance of all roads other than National Highways. This move, reported by NDTV, addresses a notable gap in infrastructure standards that often contributes to accidents.

The directive, issued by a Bench comprising Justice JB Pardiwala and Justice KV Viswanathan, specifically mandates that States must frame rules under Section 210(B) of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988. This section is pivotal as it allows state governments to prescribe technical standards for the fundamental aspects of road infrastructure, ensuring a higher level of safety and quality control for state, district, and rural roads.

The Court's order emphasises accountability and standardisation in the construction sector. By directing the creation of rules prescribing standards for the design, construction, and maintenance of roads, the judiciary is pushing for a systemic overhaul of how non-National Highway networks are managed. Poor road conditions, including potholes, inadequate drainage, and a lack of proper signage, are common causes in road accidents, and the new rules are intended to eliminate these hazards by establishing enforceable quality benchmarks.

The directive on road design and maintenance is part of a broader mandate to strengthen overall road safety measures. In addition to regulating road quality, the Supreme Court has also directed all States and UTs to frame rules under Section 128(1)(A) of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, also within the six-month deadline.

This second set of rules is intended to regulate the movement and safety of pedestrians and non-mechanically propelled vehicles such as bicycles, carts, and rickshaws in public places and on National Highways.

The Supreme Court’s direction, to frame rules under both Sections 128(1)(A) and 210(B), serves as a clear signal to state governments to use the existing legal framework of the Motor Vehicles Act to implement enforceable standards. The failure to comply within the stipulated six-month period would leave state governments liable to legal scrutiny.