NHAI Steps Up Anti Encroachment Drive To Improve Highway Safety

03 Aug 2026 CW Team

The ministry said unauthorised structures, commercial establishments, temporary sheds, illegal access points and unapproved median cuts along highways pose serious safety risks by obstructing visibility, narrowing carriageways and disrupting traffic flow. Such encroachments were said to increase the likelihood of road accidents by forcing sudden lane changes, by reducing drivers' reaction time and by creating unsafe entry and exit points. They also impede highway maintenance, emergency response and future infrastructure expansion.

As part of the exercise, NHAI's Project Implementation Unit in Rajkot surveyed nearly 693 km of national highways under its jurisdiction and issued 1,403 notices against illegal structures, unauthorised commercial accesses and unapproved median openings. The authority has removed more than 361 illegal access points and encroachments and has permanently closed 150 unauthorised median gaps, the ministry added. Recent large scale drives cleared encroachments along the Somnath-Dwarka highway, including stretches at Bardiya and from Honest Hotel to Hathi Chowk, officials said.

The initiative aims not only to enforce highway regulations but also to improve road safety by restoring visibility, by easing traffic flow, by creating space for emergency operations and by reducing the risk of crashes. Protecting the designated Right of Way will also safeguard public investment in highway infrastructure and will facilitate future expansion projects without avoidable delays. The ministry said sustained enforcement drives will continue across jurisdictions to secure highway land and to support safer, more efficient transport corridors.

The National Highways Authority of India has intensified an anti-encroachment drive across the country to improve road safety and to restore the Right of Way on national highways, with a major operation under way in Rajkot in compliance with Supreme Court directions. The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways said the exercise forms part of sustained enforcement to protect highway land and to improve traffic movement. The authority has coordinated operations with district administrations and police to ensure orderly implementation. The ministry said unauthorised structures, commercial establishments, temporary sheds, illegal access points and unapproved median cuts along highways pose serious safety risks by obstructing visibility, narrowing carriageways and disrupting traffic flow. Such encroachments were said to increase the likelihood of road accidents by forcing sudden lane changes, by reducing drivers' reaction time and by creating unsafe entry and exit points. They also impede highway maintenance, emergency response and future infrastructure expansion. As part of the exercise, NHAI's Project Implementation Unit in Rajkot surveyed nearly 693 km of national highways under its jurisdiction and issued 1,403 notices against illegal structures, unauthorised commercial accesses and unapproved median openings. The authority has removed more than 361 illegal access points and encroachments and has permanently closed 150 unauthorised median gaps, the ministry added. Recent large scale drives cleared encroachments along the Somnath-Dwarka highway, including stretches at Bardiya and from Honest Hotel to Hathi Chowk, officials said. The initiative aims not only to enforce highway regulations but also to improve road safety by restoring visibility, by easing traffic flow, by creating space for emergency operations and by reducing the risk of crashes. Protecting the designated Right of Way will also safeguard public investment in highway infrastructure and will facilitate future expansion projects without avoidable delays. The ministry said sustained enforcement drives will continue across jurisdictions to secure highway land and to support safer, more efficient transport corridors.

Infrastructure Transport

03 Aug 2026

Adani Eyes UK Port Operator Associated British Ports

Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone is evaluating a potential bid for Associated British Ports, the United Kingdom’s largest port operator, people aware of the discussions told Moneycontrol. A spokesperson said the company does not comment on market speculation and continuously evaluates opportunities that align with its long-term strategy. The spokesperson added that the approach aims to create sustainable value for stakeholders. The discussions remain at an early stage and may not result in a formal offer. Associated British Ports operates 21 ports across England, Scotland and Wales, inc..

Infrastructure Urban

03 Aug 2026

NPCIL Seeks Bids For Engineering And 3D Design Of Bharat Small Reactors

The Nuclear Power Corporation of India (NPCIL) has floated a tender for plant engineering and three-dimensional (3D) modelling of its 220 megawatt (MW) Bharat Small Reactors (BSRs). The reactors are based on proven 220 megawatt (MW) pressurised heavy water reactor (PHWR) technology and bids are to be submitted by August 10. The move marks a further step in India's plan to expand nuclear power capacity. The scope calls for generic design and engineering for civil, process, mechanical, piping, electrical and control and instrumentation systems, together with ventilation and air conditioning, pip..

Infrastructure Urban

03 Aug 2026

Supreme Court Quashes 2021 OM Allowing Retrospective Clearances

The Supreme Court quashed the 2021 Office Memorandum allowing retrospective environmental clearances for projects commenced without approval. A bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M Pancholi delivered a unanimous verdict applying prospectively to protect projects that had already received retrospective clearances from demolition and punitive measures. The court cited examples such as an AIIMS in Odisha, a greenfield airport in Vijayanagar in Karnataka and several common effluent treatment plants central to pollution control. The court held that post-facto c..