The Supreme Court has questioned the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) on the lack of electronic surveillance to track stationary vehicles on highways, citing a recent fatal accident. The court is hearing a suo motu case related to road safety and has previously issued directions against unauthorised parking and commercial structures on highways.
IIT Madras's Centre of Excellence for Road Safety has organised its first international hackathon, focusing on AI in road safety. The event brought together participants from India and other BIMSTEC nations to develop data-driven, technology-enabled solutions for the region, which faces a high number of road fatalities annually. The hackathon aims to foster collaboration among governments, academic institutions, and regional bodies to address this critical issue.
The Centre has announced a major bureaucratic reshuffle, appointing Prakash Rajpurohit as Deputy Election Commissioner and approving appointments for 27 civil servants at joint secretary and equivalent levels across various ministries and departments.
The Supreme Court has declared the right to walk on demarcated footpaths a fundamental right, directing all states and Union Territories to ensure proper, encroachment-free pedestrian spaces. The court emphasised that footpaths are integral to human life and safety, and states must respond to advisories issued by central ministries regarding their implementation.
The Supreme Court has directed the Centre to ensure all roads have properly demarcated, encroachment-free spaces for pedestrians, emphasising that the right to walk on a footpath is a fundamental right.
A recent Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) report reveals that over 70,500 corruption complaints were lodged against various government bodies last year, with banks and the Railways accounting for the highest numbers. While a significant portion of these complaints has been disposed of, thousands remain under process, highlighting ongoing challenges in addressing corruption within public sector entities.
The project is aimed at enabling faster movement of security forces and military equipment during exigencies, while also improving connectivity to Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur and other north eastern states.
The proposal caught auto makers by surprise.
The Supreme Court has dismissed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) seeking mandatory and uniform labelling of ethanol percentage in petrol at fuel pumps. The petitioner, Narendra Kumar Goswami, was advised to approach the jurisdictional high court for relief, with the Attorney General arguing it was a proxy litigation.
The ministries of Road Transport & Highways and Railways have exceeded the national average capital expenditure (capex) by spending 63 per cent and 57 per cent of Budget estimates (BE), respectively, in the first half of 2025-26 (FY26). The total capital expenditure for April-September of FY26 stood at 52 per cent of the BE, according to the latest data by the Controller General of Accounts (CGA).
The Supreme Court is set to hear a petition seeking mandatory and uniform labelling of ethanol percentage at petrol pumps and a public database on vehicle compatibility with ethanol-blended fuel. The plea also calls for an expert committee to assess the impact of E20 fuel on vehicles, environment, and food security, and a consumer disclosure protocol.
Union Minister Nitin Gadkari has called for Indian companies to form joint ventures with US companies to leverage new technologies, while also expressing an ambitious target to make India's automobile industry the world's number one within five years.
Union Minister Nitin Gadkari has filed a civil suit against Meta, X Corp, Google LLC, and unknown persons in the Bombay High Court over "defamatory" deepfakes and AI-generated posts concerning the ethanol policy. The court will hear the matter on August 5, with Gadkari seeking a permanent injunction and immediate takedown of the fake content, which he claims has harmed his reputation.
On the back of an aggressive asset monetisation push, the government will press the throttle on the build-operate-transfer (BOT) model - under which private developers fund highway construction - for future highway development, Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari said.
Cash payments will be discontinued at toll plazas on national highways from April 10, with FASTag as the primary mode of payment and UPI as a fallback option at a higher charge.
As per the amended rules, an NOC for transfer of ownership or transfer of a vehicle from one state to another will not be granted until any unpaid user fee is cleared.
India is set to launch Bharat Vecto, its first certification tool for assessing the fuel efficiency and CO2 emissions of medium and heavy commercial vehicles, by December, with a full launch targeted for the Bharat Mobility Global Expo in February 2027.
The water levels in the Bhotekoshi River rose again on Sunday, days after a devastating flash flood struck Nepal, authorities warned, urging residents and rescue personnel in flood-hit districts to remain alert.
The Supreme Court of India is considering formulating pan-India guidelines to prevent road accidents on expressways and national highways, following a fatal accident in Rajasthan. The court is focusing on the issue of illegal 'dhabas' and encroachments along highways as potential causes of accidents.
The Bombay High Court has ordered major social media platforms, including Meta, X Corp, and Google LLC, to immediately remove 'vile, abusive, obscene, and defamatory' deepfakes and AI-generated content targeting Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, emphasising the urgent need for online platforms to curb malicious digital content.
Months after the government increased renewal charges for older vehicles, the transport ministry has raised the fitness test fee for all motor vehicles older than 20 years to discourage people from keeping them.
The death toll from flash floods in central Nepal has surged to 734, with nearly 2,500 people still missing. India has intensified its rescue and relief efforts, sending additional aid, technical teams, and forensic experts, while also working to locate and rescue over 275 missing Indian nationals.
The death toll from devastating flash floods in Nepal has tragically risen to 903, with 4,247 people still reported missing, including security personnel and foreigners. India has dispatched an 18-member team of forensic experts to assist with DNA analysis and identification of victims.
The Supreme Court has directed the removal of all cattle and other stray animals from highways and expressways, citing safety concerns and frequent accidents.
'With new projects and recently awarded projects kicking in, capital expenditure should only increase going forward.'
Oil-marketing companies (OMCs) are set to significantly expand the sale of flex fuel (E85) across India, with plans to reach 5,000 outlets in major cities by the end of next year, according to Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri. This move aims to boost ethanol demand, reduce crude oil imports, and cut carbon emissions, coinciding with the launch of India's first flex-fuel vehicles by Maruti Suzuki and Hero MotoCorp.
Why the industry's public position changed is difficult to say. What the developments did establish, though, is that ethanol-blended petrol has become one of the country's most politically and commercially sensitive policy issues.
The petroleum ministry on Friday reaffirmed the government's commitment to maintaining stable petrol and diesel prices, despite India's high dependence on imports.
The Supreme Court of India has issued a series of nationwide guidelines aimed at improving road safety on national highways, addressing issues such as illegal parking and accident blackspots.
A new digital political phenomenon, the 'E20 Janta Party', is gaining traction on Instagram, mobilising Gen Z against the government's mandatory 20% ethanol-blended petrol (E20) and demanding Union Minister Nitin Gadkari's resignation.
Under the new regulations, known as the National Highways Fee (Determination of Rates and Collection) Amendment Rules, 2024, fees will now be charged on the actual distance travelled if the distance exceeds 20 kilometres.
Union Minister for Road, Transport and Highway Nitin Gadkari on Thursday said his ministry can address the water woes faced in parts of the country.
'Within six months I expect petrol, diesel, and electric vehicles (EVs) to reach cost parity,' says Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari.
33 per cent of all road accidents and 35 per cent of fatal accidents took place on national highways and expressways.
Commuters on national highways and expressways will need to pay more for their road journeys, as the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has increased toll charges by an average of 4 to 5 per cent on highway sections across the country. The revised toll charges for motorists on national highways across the country have come into effect from Tuesday, a senior highways ministry official told PTI.
The Supreme Court has declared the right to walk on demarcated footpaths a fundamental right, prioritising it over motorised vehicle movement, and has called for the establishment of a regulatory body to ensure its enforcement and provide restitutionary remedies for violations.
Union Minister Nitin Gadkari on Wednesday said the government will introduce a FASTag-based annual pass for private vehicles, priced at Rs 3,000, effective from August 15, in a step towards hassle-free highway travel.
'We hope we will be able to at least end crashes that involve collisions with stationary vehicles as there will be an automatic warning.'
The Indian government is actively developing a policy for flex-fuel vehicle adoption and aiming for 100 per cent ethanol blending in petrol to enhance energy self-reliance, particularly in light of supply disruptions from the West Asia conflict.
The UK government has announced a new road safety strategy, including 'Dev's Law' named after an Indian-origin boy killed in a road accident, to reduce deaths and serious injuries on British roads.
