Chhattisgarh HC pulls up state over highway safety lapses, orders immediate action on NH-130 black spots

RAIPUR: The Chhattisgarh high court has pulled up the State government over continuing safety hazards on highways, taking on record the court commissioner’s latest report, the Chief Secretary’s personal affidavit and issuing fresh time‑bound directions to prevent accidents. The high court has directed the Chief Secretary to take “immediate and effective remedial steps” on the Sipat–Baloda–Korba and Raipur–Bilaspur (NH‑130) stretches, and to personally ensure that no untoward incident, including accidents due to fog and smog, takes place for want of basic safety infrastructure.

The court commissioner, counsel Apoorva Tripathi, submitted a report dated 16 December 2025 highlighting accident‑prone “black spots” on stretches including Sipat–Baloda–Korba and Raipur–Bilaspur (NH‑130), with a special focus on risks during fog and smog conditions.

The report recommends urgent engineering interventions such as high‑visibility reflective studs, delineators at curves and ghats, reflective chevron signs at black spots and fog‑related detection and warning systems on national highways.

The Bench of Chief Justice Ramesh Sinha and Justice Ravindra Kumar Agrawal noted that despite earlier assurances, a dhaba and a liquor shop abutting the national highway at Nagar Panchayat Sargaon were not removed within the time claimed in State affidavits, prompting a direction for the Chief Secretary’s personal explanation.

The court recorded that the dhaba has now been removed after delay, but expressed concern that the liquor shop continues to operate at the same “black spot” location, where frequent accidents have been reported in the past.

In his affidavit, the Chief Secretary stated that the dhaba was finally demolished on 17 December 2025, enclosing a panchnama, and admitted that the liquor shop near the highway is still functional but will be shifted on an “emergent basis” within an outer limit of 30 days.

Acknowledging that the area is a known accident black spot, the affidavit details interim safety measures already installed there—rumble strips, radium warning lights, “Go Slow” signboards, accident‑prone signage, solar blinkers and replacement of missing road studs—and tenders an unconditional apology for the delay in removing both the dhaba and the liquor outlet.

The Chief Secretary and the regional officer of NHAI have been ordered to file fresh, detailed affidavits by 21 January 2026 specifying every action taken, steps initiated and remedial measures implemented, with the court insisting on full compliance rather than mere assurances.



Measures suggested in the order

Acting on the commissioner’s report, the court has asked the State and NHAI to consider and implement, within tight timelines, measures such as:

Anti‑fog delineators including high‑intensity reflective road studs every 5 metres on ghat sections and black spots.

Reflective chevrons and edge delineators to assist lane keeping in low visibility.

The report, which the court has effectively adopted as a roadmap, also presses for:

Mandatory solar‑powered amber blinkers at all median openings and sharp curves.

Retro‑reflective taping on bridge parapets, electric poles and crash barriers.

Installation of fog‑detection sensors linked with district traffic control rooms and variable message signboards to issue real‑time advisories to motorists.


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