PATNA, May 21 -- The Bihar government on Wednesday decided to launch a large-scale enforcement drive against encroachment, unauthorised parking and unsafe commercial activities along national highways, following directions issued by the Supreme Court on road safety, a statement issued by the transport department said. The decision was taken at a meeting of the Bihar Road Safety Council chaired by chief secretary Pratyaya Amrit with officials of the transport department, road construction department, NHAI, Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, urban development department and police headquarters. Under the new measures, parking of heavy and commercial vehicles within the right of way of national highways has been completely prohibited. Vehicles will now be allowed to park only at designated truck lay-bys and wayside amenity centres. Violators will face fines and other penal action. The state government has also directed removal of unauthorised dhabas, hotels and other commercial structures located within the highway right of way within 20 days. If encroachments are not cleared within the stipulated period, joint action will be carried out by district highway safety task forces headed by district magistrates, with participation of the district administration, police, NHAI, road construction department and local bodies, the press release said. The government further imposed an immediate ban on construction of any new dhaba, hotel or commercial establishment within the right of way area of national highways. Prior no-objection certificates from the NHAI, National Highways wing or the road construction department will now be mandatory before any new construction. Commercial establishments with direct access from highways have also been asked to create alternative access roads and proper entry-exit arrangements. Failure to comply will invite action under the Control of National Highways (Land and Traffic) Act, 2002. The road construction department clarified that even structures located outside the right of way but within the designated highway safety zone - 40 metres for residential areas and 75 metres for commercial areas - will require mandatory no-objection certificates from the competent authority, the release said. The meeting was convened in compliance with the Supreme Court directions issued after fatal accidents in Rajasthan's Phalodi and Telangana's Rangareddy districts in November 2025, in which 34 people were killed due to encroachment and illegal parking on national highways....