Provide speedy aid on NHs: Bombay HC

Taking serious note of fatal accidents on highways, the Bombay high court has summoned officers from the offices of the police commissioner and Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC).

A division bench of chief justice Mohit Shah and justice Roshan Dalvi was hearing a public interest litigation filed by Pune-based NGO, Association for Aiding Justice, seeking quick medical aid to accident victims on highways.

“Quick medical aid should be provided if the ambulances are already available there. This could save several lives,” said justice Dalvi.

The NGO has attached newspaper reports of recent accidents on highways which have claimed several lives and injured many more.

Dipesh Siroya, advocate for the NGO, argued there are ambulances standing at all the national highways every 50km and are fully equipped. “Despite all these facilities,
 accident victims do not get quick medical aid,” said Siroya.

One of the possible reasons could be lack of proper co-ordination among the authorities concerned, said Siroya.

In case of accidents on highways, there is the issue of jurisdiction between the state highway police and the local police station.

Also, the area of operation of the highway police is only restricted to manning traffic on the highways.

Only recently, the state highway authority reviewed the situation and some additional powers were given to the highway police.