Bhubaneswar: Sambalpur MP and former Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has urged Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi to take stringent action against illegal parking of heavy vehicles along national and state highways, warning that the practice in mining and industrial belts poses a serious threat to road safety.
In a letter to Majhi, Pradhan said trucks parked in kilometre-long queues along highways due to inadequate logistics management by mining companies and a lack of designated parking facilities were endangering commuters and increasing the risk of accidents.
Citing a Supreme Court order dated April 13, 2026, in a suo motu case, he said safe passage on highways was integral to the right to life under Article 21 of the Constitution. The apex court had also issued interim directions prohibiting the parking of heavy and commercial vehicles outside designated areas, alongside measures such as round-the-clock patrolling, electronic challans and removal of illegally parked vehicles, he noted.
Pradhan also invoked provisions of the Odisha State Highways Authority Act, 2025, to press for strict enforcement against violators. He referred to penalties under Section 28, vehicle seizure provisions under Sections 72 and 73, and imprisonment and fines prescribed under Section 69 for offences involving unsafe driving and overloading.
Highlighting corporate accountability, the MP said Section 76 provided a basis for initiating legal proceedings against industrial and mining companies whose negligence or inadequate logistics arrangements contributed to highway congestion and safety violations.
He urged the Chief Minister to direct the concerned departments to launch public awareness campaigns, enforce vehicle seizure provisions and initiate action against companies responsible for transport-related violations.
Pradhan also called for making it mandatory for mining operators to establish holding yards away from highways, equipped with basic facilities to accommodate heavy vehicles without disrupting traffic.
He stressed the need to strengthen district road safety task forces and conduct regular reviews to ensure effective enforcement and accountability.
Human life must take precedence over industrial or administrative convenience, Pradhan said, expressing hope that swift and deterrent action would make Odisha’s highways safer for commuters.
