Madhya Pradesh Roads Turning Into Death Traps? HC Issues Notice To Nine Departments
The Madhya Pradesh High Court division bench was hearing a petition filed by Ashish Shivhare, a resident of Jabalpur.
Published : March 17, 2026 at 12:57 PM IST
Jabalpur: A division bench of the Madhya Pradesh High Court on Tuesday issued notices to nine departments, seeking their response on the rise in road accidents in the state.
The directive has been given while hearing a petition stating that nearly 41 people die in road accidents in the state every day. The petition asserted that road accidents are not attributed solely to the fault of drivers, but also to poor road engineering, life-threatening potholes, illegal encroachments, and the issuance of driving licenses without proper training.
The division bench of Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva and Justice Vinay Saraf heard the petition and issued notices to nine departments, including Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, state Public Works Department, state Police, state Transport, Jabalpur Municipal Corporation, state Information, Public Relations, and Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India and others, for their response. It has also appointed senior advocate Arihant Tiwari as amicus curiae. The next hearing on the petition has been scheduled on April 27.
The petition filed on behalf of Ashish Shivhare, a resident of Jabalpur, cited a report of the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, saying approximately 41 people die in road accidents every day in Madhya Pradesh while across the country, the figure stands at over 350.
The petition sought a joint accountability mechanism for the police and the urban administration, and demanded that strict compliance with Section 198 of the Motor Vehicles Act be ensured regarding engineers and contractors. It also requested that if a life is lost due to poor road design, hazardous curves, or potholes, criminal cases be registered against the concerned engineers and contractors. This apart, the collection of tolls on roads that are in poor condition should be halted with immediate effect, it added.
Demanding reforms to the licensing system, the petition has proposed that all existing driving license holders be provided with information regarding traffic rules through a digital re-training application. To address the issue of helmet theft among two-wheeler users and to ensure compliance with safety regulations, the installation of in-built helmet lockers should be made mandatory.
The petitioner has further proposed developing a road safety application through which the general public can file direct complaints, including photographs, regarding hazardous roads, accident black spots, and potholes, triggering a scientific investigation into the matter.
The petition stated that individual accountability must be established for the local Station House Officer (SHO) and the administration regarding accidents caused by illegal parking near highway dhabas (roadside eateries), sale of alcohol, and presence of stray animals.
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