The ministry said unauthorised structures, commercial establishments, temporary sheds, illegal access points and unapproved median cuts along highways pose serious safety risks by obstructing visibility, narrowing carriageways and disrupting traffic flow. Such encroachments were said to increase the likelihood of road accidents by forcing sudden lane changes, by reducing drivers' reaction time and by creating unsafe entry and exit points. They also impede highway maintenance, emergency response and future infrastructure expansion.

As part of the exercise, NHAI's Project Implementation Unit in Rajkot surveyed nearly 693 km of national highways under its jurisdiction and issued 1,403 notices against illegal structures, unauthorised commercial accesses and unapproved median openings. The authority has removed more than 361 illegal access points and encroachments and has permanently closed 150 unauthorised median gaps, the ministry added. Recent large scale drives cleared encroachments along the Somnath-Dwarka highway, including stretches at Bardiya and from Honest Hotel to Hathi Chowk, officials said.

The initiative aims not only to enforce highway regulations but also to improve road safety by restoring visibility, by easing traffic flow, by creating space for emergency operations and by reducing the risk of crashes. Protecting the designated Right of Way will also safeguard public investment in highway infrastructure and will facilitate future expansion projects without avoidable delays. The ministry said sustained enforcement drives will continue across jurisdictions to secure highway land and to support safer, more efficient transport corridors.