Jaipur: To comply with an order of Rajasthan high court, National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) will partner with district administrations and PWD to remove encroachments along state highways across Rajasthan from next week. A division bench on Jan 22 had directed the state govt to remove all constructions within 75 metres on either side of highway medians. It ordered all parties concerned to comply with the order by March 10. “We have identified the encroachments and district collectorates will start sending eviction notices to these encroachers probably from next week. According to rule book, all highways in country must have no encroachments within 75 metre on both sides of the highway median,” a PWD official said Saturday.Rajesh Joshi and Rishi Soni, the petitioner’s advocates, said that during the hearing NHAI submitted a list of 1,000 encroachments on national highways passing through Rajasthan. The court asked PWD to identify and prepare a list of encroachments on state highways and comply with the order by March 10, they said. “Our petition aimed to reduce accidents on two national highways passing through Jodhpur—NH 125 and NH 125A. But the court’s directive would now be applicable to all highways across the state,” Joshi said.Following the order, any commercial or residential construction within 75 metres from the median of the national highway will not be legally valid, including hotels, dhabas, shops, service centres, and buildings.
