Wokha, July 24 (MExN): The Wokha district administration has constituted a District Highway Safety Task Force and introduced an integrated protocol for monitoring, enforcement and removal of unauthorised parked vehicles along national highways in compliance with a Supreme Court directive on road safety.
In a compliance report submitted to the Nagaland government, Deputy Commissioner K. Mhathung Tsanglao said the district had initiated measures in response to the Supreme Court's directions in Suo Motu Writ Petition (Civil) No. 9 of 2025 (Phalodi Accident).
The report, submitted to the Commissioner of Nagaland in response to a communication dated June 25, 2026, said a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) prohibiting unauthorised parking along national highways was issued on July 22.
As of the date of submission, no cases or complaints of unauthorised or persistent parking, encroachment or unauthorised occupation along national highways had been reported or detected in the district, it said.
The administration, however, said regular and intensive inspections would be carried out and that no construction would be permitted within the prescribed restricted zone along national highways without prior approval from the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd (NHIDCL) or the competent ministry.
The report also stated that the District Highway Safety Task Force was constituted through a notification issued on July 22. A special time-bound drive will be launched to identify and map violations along national highways with the participation of all line departments.
Separately, the Deputy Commissioner issued a notification introducing an integrated enforcement protocol under the National Highways (Land and Traffic) Act, 2002, to ensure coordinated action by the district administration, PWD (National Highways), police and the Transport Department.
The enforcement team will comprise the Additional Deputy Commissioner (Wokha Headquarters), the Superintendent of Police or a representative, the Executive Engineer of PWD (NH), and the District Transport Officer.
Under the protocol, PWD (NH) and police patrol teams will collect GPS-stamped photographic evidence of vehicles parked illegally on the carriageway or highway shoulder. PWD (NH) will issue preliminary notices with a seven-day awareness period under the National Highways (Land and Traffic) Act, 2002, with copies submitted to the District Magistrate.
If violations persist, the District Magistrate, assisted by the police, will order removal of the vehicles, which will be towed to designated locations using cranes and machinery provided by road agencies under police supervision.
The protocol also mandates digital transmission of evidence to the designated police officer for processing and issuance of challans, while prohibiting manual challans at the spot to ensure a centralised and transparent enforcement mechanism.
The district administration also plans to integrate an Advanced Traffic Management System (ATMS) using video cameras to automatically detect violations and transmit evidence directly to the police.
Implementation of the protocol will be reviewed during monthly meetings of the District Highway Safety Task Force. The notification further directs PWD (NH) to station recovery cranes at intervals not exceeding 75 km along national highways in the district to facilitate prompt removal of obstructing vehicles.
