Sambalpur MP and former Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has written to Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, calling for immediate and stringent measures to curb the illegal parking of commercial and heavy vehicles on national and state highways in the state’s major mining and industrial areas.
In his letter, Pradhan highlighted how trucks transporting minerals and industrial goods frequently form queues stretching for kilometres along highways. He attributed the problem to the absence of organised logistics systems and adequate parking facilities provided by mining and industrial companies. This practice, he said, is contributing to a sharp rise in road accidents and poses a serious threat to commuters.
Pradhan argued that the state government already possesses both constitutional and statutory powers to address the issue effectively. He referred to a Supreme Court order dated April 13, 2026, in a suo motu case arising from fatal highway accidents, in which the apex court held that safe travel on highways forms an integral part of the right to life under Article 21 of the Constitution. The court issued interim directions prohibiting the parking or stopping of heavy and commercial vehicles on national highway carriageways or paved shoulders except at designated bays, lay-bys, or wayside amenities, with enforcement through advanced traffic management systems, GPS evidence, and e-challans.
He also invoked the Odisha State Highways Authority Act, 2025, which establishes an autonomous body modelled on the National Highways Authority of India to oversee the development, operation, safety, and regulation of state highways. Under the Act, Section 28 provides for mandatory fines ranging from ₹1,000 to ₹5,000 for dangerous operation of vehicles, with provisions for auctioning seized vehicles if fines remain unpaid. Other sections empower authorities to seize vehicles and consignments, levy parking charges, and impose imprisonment and fines for unsafe driving and related offences. Pradhan specifically recommended invoking corporate liability against mining and industrial firms whose transport mismanagement leads to highway congestion and unsafe parking.
Among his key recommendations, Pradhan called for making district road safety task forces fully functional for regular reviews and enforcement. He also urged that mining operators be required to establish off-highway holding yards equipped with basic amenities for drivers and vehicles, so that trucks do not obstruct traffic or create hazards. Additional suggestions include launching public awareness campaigns and ensuring strict implementation of vehicle seizure provisions.
