Sambalpur MP and former Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Thursday, 15 October 2026, wrote to Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, urging swift action against the illegal and dangerous parking of heavy commercial vehicles along national and state highways in the state's major mining and industrial corridors. Pradhan warned that the unchecked practice is driving a rapid rise in road accidents and called on the Chief Minister to invoke the state's full legal arsenal to restore highway safety.

The Scale of the Problem

According to Pradhan's letter, trucks and other heavy vehicles are parked illegally in queues stretching several kilometres along roads in Odisha's mining and industrial zones. He attributed the crisis to a combination of poor logistics discipline among mining companies and the absence of designated parking infrastructure. 'The lack of logistics discipline by mining companies and the absence of designated parking pose a serious threat to road safety,' he wrote, adding that the state government holds 'a direct constitutional mandate and robust legal powers to redress this.'

Supreme Court Directions Cited

Pradhan invoked the Supreme Court's binding interim directions in Suo Motu W.P. (C) No. 9 of 2025 — In Re: Phalodi Accident vs National Highways Authority of India and Others — which held that safe travel on highways is an integral part of the right to life guaranteed under Article 21 of the Constitution. Exercising its powers under Article 142, the apex court had explicitly prohibited the parking of heavy and commercial vehicles on national highways outside designated facilities. The court also directed that district collectors and Superintendents of Police (SPs) be held accountable through round-the-clock patrolling teams, automated e-challan systems, and district road safety task forces.

Legal Powers Under the Odisha State Highways Act

The Sambalpur MP also pointed to the Odisha State Highways Authority Act, 2025, which provides for strict administrative, financial, and criminal penalties. Under Section 28, mandatory fines ranging from ₹1,000 to ₹5,000 can be imposed for dangerous driving, with seized vehicles liable for auction if fines remain unpaid for one month. Under Sections 72 and 73, officials can seize non-compliant vehicles along with their cargo and levy hourly parking fees. Section 69 mandates up to six months' imprisonment and a fine of up to ₹20,000 for overloading and unsafe driving. Critically, Section 76 holds every officer or director managing a company liable for prosecution when offences stem from corporate negligence or logistical mismanagement.

Pradhan's Demand and Larger Stakes

Pradhan urged Chief Minister Majhi to intervene personally to restore order, ensure public safety, and strengthen accountability across the state. 'Human life is more valuable than any industrial or administrative inconvenience,' he said, expressing hope that swift and punitive legal action against violators would ensure that Odisha's highways remain 'corridors of progress rather than corridors of danger.' This comes amid growing national attention on highway safety in resource-heavy states where mining logistics frequently overflow onto public roads, creating systemic risk for civilian commuters.