The Maharashtra government has ordered a state-wide crackdown on unauthorised hotels, dhabas, eateries and commercial structures operating within the Right of Way (ROW) of National Highways, directing urban local bodies to remove such structures within a specified timeframe. 
The order requires all municipal corporations, municipal councils and nagar panchayats in the state to strictly implement the directions. New or existing unauthorised structures located within the highway ROW are to be demolished or removed within 60 days, while construction or operation of new commercial establishments in these areas has been prohibited with immediate effect. 
The Right of Way refers to the land acquired and reserved by the government for a highway and its associated infrastructure. The state’s latest directive covers National Highway stretches passing through Maharashtra and is intended to prevent encroachments and commercial activity from interfering with highway safety and movement. 
The action follows a Supreme Court order issued on April 13, 2026, in a suo motu matter concerning the National Highway accident at Phalodi in Rajasthan. The court’s directions sought stronger controls over roadside commercial activity, land-use changes and parking along highways. 
Under the directions being implemented by Maharashtra, District Magistrates have been assigned responsibility for ensuring the demolition or removal of new and existing unauthorised structures within 60 days. The government has also prohibited departments, authorities and local bodies from granting or renewing licences, No Objection Certificates or trade approvals for establishments located within highway safety zones without prior clearance from the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) or the Public Works Department (PWD). 
Existing licences issued to such establishments will also be reviewed. Authorities have been given 30 days to examine these permissions and determine whether they comply with the applicable requirements. 
The state will additionally establish a district highway safety task force in every district through which a National Highway passes. The District Collector will constitute each task force, with representatives from the district administration, police, NHAI or the relevant land-owning agency, PWD and local bodies. 
Regular removal of encroachments will be the responsibility of the District Collector and the Commissioner of Police or Superintendent of Police. The arrangement is intended to create a coordinated mechanism for identifying and acting against unauthorised structures and activities along highway corridors. 
The Supreme Court directions also called for restrictions on land-use changes within specified distances from National Highways. The order referred to a limit of 40 metres from the highway midpoint for residential use and 75 metres for commercial use. 
The court's intervention followed a November 2025 accident in Rajasthan's Phalodi district, in which at least 15 people were killed and two were injured when a tempo collided with a parked truck on the Bharat Mala Highway. Reports indicated that the truck had been parked near an eatery, while the tempo was attempting to overtake another vehicle. 
The broader enforcement effort is also linked to concerns over unauthorised parking and roadside encroachments. NHAI has identified 595 critical locations of unauthorised parking across different states and has been coordinating with state governments, district administrations and enforcement agencies to address the problem. 
The authority has also been working on removing encroachments under the Control of National Highways (Land and Traffic) Act, 2002, while strengthening district-level coordination through highway safety task forces and nodal officers. 
For Maharashtra, the immediate focus will now be on identifying structures falling within the highway ROW, reviewing existing permissions and completing enforcement action within the prescribed timelines. The measures are aimed at keeping National Highway corridors free from unauthorised commercial activity, roadside encroachments and associated safety risks.