Parliament Question: Illegal Parking and Accidents on Highways

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO- 3130 ANSWERED ON – 7th AUGUST, 2025 ILLEGAL PARKING AND ACCIDENTS ON HIGHWAYS

3130. SHRI RAHUL KASWAN:

Will the Minister of ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS सड़क परिवहन एवं िाजमार्ग मंत्री

be pleased to state:

(a) whether the absence of dedicated truck lay-bys and rest areas contributes to illegal parking and increased accidents on highways and if so, the details thereof;

(b) whether the Government has prepared a national plan to establish truck rest zones at fixed intervals on key corridors and if so, the details thereof;

(c) the number of such lay-bys operational as on June 2025 and those under construction;

(d) whether land acquisition and financing delays have affected the implementation and if so, the details thereof;

(e) the standard design specifications and facilities mandated for these zones; and

(f) the measures taken to ensure safety and welfare of truck drivers during long-haul trips? ANSWER THE MINISTER OF ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS (SHRI NITIN JAIRAM GADKARI)(a) Road Accidents are multi-causal phenomenon and are the result of interplay of various factors which are broadly categorized into (i) human error (ii) road condition/environment and (iii) vehicular condition.

(b) &(c) Truck lay-byes are constructed as per Manual of Specifications and Standards issued by Indian Road Congress (IRC:SP:87-2019/ IRC:SP:84-2019) for four/six lane-Highways. The Government has also planned truckers' facilities and Wayside Amenities (WSAs) at an interval of 40-60 km along National Highways of four-lane and above configuration. The Truck lay-byes are in general, provisioned near check barriers, inter-state borders, places of conventional stops of the truck operators, etc. as a part of the highway projects. As on date, 59 dedicated trucker facilities, in addition to the Truck Lay-bye, are operational on National Highways/Expressways.

(d) Land acquisition has been one of the reasons for delay in national highway construction, including the development of WSAs.

(e) The truckers' facility includes dormitory, self-laundry, cooking facility, provision for tractor-trolley coupling/decoupling, vehicle wash area, open eating space with WiFi as mandatory facilities at WSAs on National Highways/Expressways.

(f) The number of hours of work with adequate resting hours are provisioned under Sections 13 to 20 of the Motor Transport Workers Act, 1961. Further, vide GSR 886 E dated 8th December, 2023 the Government has mandated vehicles manufactured on or after 1st October, 2025, to be fitted with an air-conditioning system for the cabin of vehicles of N2 (goods vehicle with gross vehicle weight exceeding 3.5 tonnes but not exceeding 12.0 tonnes) and N3 (goods vehicle with gross vehicle weight exceeding 12.0 tonnes) categories.

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