In a significant move aimed at empowering citizens, the Kerala High Court has issued a directive to the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) to widely publicize a newly added feature in its official mobile application. This feature allows users to register complaints directly concerning the condition of national highways, potentially reducing the need for judicial intervention for such grievances.
Court Intervention Leads to App Enhancement
The directive came from a bench comprising Chief Justice Nitin Jamdar and Justice V M Syam Kumar. The court was hearing a petition filed by Prasad Somarajan, a resident of Thiruvananthapuram, who sought the establishment of an effective grievance redressal mechanism for issues plaguing national highways. During earlier proceedings, the NHAI had informed the court that complaints could be submitted under the existing category ‘Potholes and other maintenance issues’ within the app.
However, the petitioner argued that this mechanism was ineffective and failed to address user concerns adequately. Agreeing with this assessment, the court observed that the existing system was inadequate and required improvement. The bench specifically recommended that the NHAI introduce a dedicated field in the ‘Rajmargyatra’ application specifically for complaints related to non-conformity with the standards prescribed by the Indian Roads Congress.
New Feature for Direct Reporting
Following the court's recommendation, the NHAI took prompt action and modified the ‘Rajmargyatra’ application. The updated version now enables users to report issues related to highway standards and maintenance directly through a streamlined process. This modification is designed to create a more direct and accountable channel for citizens to highlight problems such as potholes, poor signage, or other maintenance failures on national highways.
Ensuring Public Awareness
The court's final and crucial order was for the NHAI to actively publicize this new feature. The bench emphasized that widespread awareness about the app's enhanced functionality would ensure that citizens can utilize this official platform for redressal. The objective is clear: to prevent citizens from having to approach the courts for guidance on how to report highway-related issues, thereby making the process more efficient and accessible to the common public.
This judicial push underscores the growing emphasis on digital governance and citizen-centric services. By ordering the NHAI to promote the new complaint feature, the High Court has highlighted the importance of not just creating technological solutions but also ensuring they reach and are usable by the intended beneficiaries—the millions of Indians who travel on national highways.
