Kohima: Nagaland officials ordered an immediate halt to all new construction inside the Right of Way on every National Highway. The Department of Works and Housing issued the mandate to clear dhabas and eateries from the roadside. It targets safety concerns across the state network.
This move follows two Supreme Court rulings from April 13 and July 13, 2026. The high court order stems from a case involving a fatal accident in Phalodi. The state must now clean up its roads. Deputy commissioners bear the responsibility to remove all existing and new unauthorized buildings using the CNH Act and a standard operating procedure established on August 7, 2025.
The court noted that national highways cause roughly 30 percent of total road fatalities despite covering only 2 percent of the Indian network. The bench stated that highway authorities must ensure compliance to save lives. Officials pointed to the danger posed by roadside businesses, asserting that, "national highways account for nearly 30% of road fatalities despite constituting only about 2% of India’s road network."
Authorities in Rajasthan and Telangana previously faced similar orders following deadly crashes. Nagaland will now mirror these enforcement efforts to bring the state into line with national safety standards.
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