Rajkot: Illegal breaks in highway medians across Rajkot district have prompted police action, as authorities link these breaches to a worrying surge in fatal accidents. Following directives from the Rajkot district collector, an FIR was lodged by M I Jadeja, deputy executive engineer of the roads and buildings department, against unidentified individuals under Sections 324 (4) and 324 (5) of the BNS and the Public Property Damage Act. The case pertains to gaps created in the state highway within the jurisdiction of Atkot police station.
Extent of Median Breaches
Jadeja reported that the state highway stretch from Balghoi Dhar to Jangvadhar, maintained by the department, has five instances of median breaches, which pose significant accident risks and potential loss of life. District collector Om Prakash revealed that district road safety meetings had previously flagged this issue. “It was noticed that some industrial units create gaps in medians. An inspection by the RTO found five such gaps on the Rajkot-Bhavnagar highway, two on the Rajkot-Kalavad highway, 16 on Rajkot-Morbi highway, nine on National Highway 27, and 16 on the Rajkot-Jamnagar highway,” he said.
Authorities Respond to Repeated Violations
Authorities directed agencies to repair the breaches, but fresh damage was reported. “Even after repairs, some people have dared to break the medians again. The district road and safety committee has decided to file complaints against those responsible,” Prakash added. He stated that a 15-day window has been set: if damaged medians are not restored, legal action will follow. Petrol pumps and hotels are among those most frequently linked to such violations.
Rajkot SP Vijaysinh Gurjar highlighted that the district recorded 172 fatal accidents in 2025, most occurring on national and state highways. “In safety committee meetings, it was noted that illegal median gaps contribute to accidents,” he said. Joint inspections by the national highways team, RTO, police, and R&B department found several such breaches on highways. Police have warned that action will be taken against anyone found responsible for creating illegal median openings.
