National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has asked the states to ensure removal of liquor shops from highways to minimise accidents caused due to drunken driving.
"Considering the importance of ensuring road safety, Chairman NHAI Raghav Chandra has written to Chief Secretaries of all state governments to take necessary action to remove liquor shops from being located directly on the National Highways and not to issue fresh licence if the location is squarely on the National Highways," NHAI said in a statement.
The request has been made in view of India accounting for about five lakh road accidents annually with 1.5 lakh fatalities, which is highest in the world.
"The issue is so serious that the Hon'ble Supreme Court has appointed a Committee under a retired Supreme Court Judge, K S Radhakrishnan, to find ways by different stakeholders to reduce the accidents," the statement said.
The committee, in one of its recommendations to the Supreme Court, recommended ban on sale of alcohol on National Highways.
Ministry of Road Transport and Highways had also earlier issued an advisory to all the states to remove liquor shops from National Highways and not to issue fresh licences to liquor vendors.
Ban on sale of alcohol on National Highways would help in reducing the road accidents due to drunken driving, NHAI said.
