Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday rejected a plea for safety and protection of pedestrians, asserting that people are not supposed to roam on the highways.
A bench of Justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Sydhanshu Dhulia was hearing a petition challenging an order passed by the Gujarat High Court on a plea raising issues pertaining to the safety and protection of pedestrians on highways.
Dismissing the plea, the high court had said no positive directions can be given as the reliefs claimed in the petition would be a matter of policy decisions.
It had said for the grievances raised in the plea, it was open for the petitioners to approach the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways.
The counsel for the petitioners said the issue raised in the plea pertained to the safety and protection of pedestrians on highways. “How do pedestrians come on a highway?” the bench asked, adding that there has to be discipline.
HC Reacts To Surge In Number Of Highway Accidents Involving Pedestrians
Referring to statistics, the counsel said there has been a huge increase in the number of road accidents involving pedestrians in the country. The bench said such incidents would occur if pedestrians are found present where they are not supposed to be.
“The concept of highways is that it is supposed to be segregated. People are not supposed to be roaming around on highways. That discipline is required,” it observed. “Tomorrow, you will say that they should be permitted to walk or stroll on a highway and the cars should stop. How can that happen?” the bench asked.
When the lawyer again referred to the statistics and said the number of deaths from such accidents has gone up, the bench said, “That is because highways have increased … our discipline has not increased.” It said the high court had granted liberty to the petitioners to approach the ministry concerned.
“You can never have a variety of traffic on highways, including pedestrians on highways. Be happy with what you have got,” the bench said, adding that “people are not found roaming on highways anywhere in the world. “This is a petition totally without logic. This should have been dismissed with cost,” the bench observed, adding, “You have still got something from the high court.”