Kerala HC Closes PIL on Pedestrian Safety, Allows Petitioners to Raise Future Grievances [Read Judgment]

Kerala: The Kerala High Court has disposed of a public interest litigation concerning pedestrian facilities and road safety standards, while keeping the door open for future complaints through established grievance mechanisms.

Chief Justice Soumen Sen and Justice Syam Kumar V.M. presided over the matter concerning the implementation of pedestrian safety standards prescribed by the Indian Roads Congress.

The Court addressed a writ petition (W.P.(C) No. 20485 of 2024) filed by Prasad Somarajan, a 55-year-old resident of Thiruvananthapuram, raising concerns regarding pedestrian facilities alongside roads and highlighting shortcomings in maintaining the standards prescribed by the Indian Roads Congress manual.

Through various interim orders passed from time to time, the Court had taken note of the compliances effected by the respondent authorities. In a previous order dated January 6, 2026, the Court had addressed the mobile application-based grievance redressal mechanism developed by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI).

The Court had earlier observed, “The learned Standing Counsel for the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has tendered a memo indicating the publicity given to the mobile phone application developed by the NHAI regarding the shortfalls in maintaining the standards prescribed by the Indian Roads Congress.” The petitioner’s counsel had pointed out certain deficiencies, noting that “the mobile application refers only to pedestrians and not to the condition of the road” and that “no methodology has been developed, or at least placed on record by the NHAI, as to how the complaints lodged through the said application would be dealt with.”

At the final hearing on January 29, 2026, learned counsel appearing for the NHAI submitted that the mobile application is functional and that wide publicity has been given on NHAI’s official social media platforms, as directed. Regarding other grievances raised in the petition, counsel stated that “the same already stand addressed in the earlier interim directions issued in this WP(C).” The NHAI further submitted that it “is open to suggestions regarding the issues raised, and that if any grievances are outstanding, upon being brought to its notice, appropriate steps will be taken by the NHAI in this regard.”

The Court recorded this submission and stated, “In light of the orders rendered earlier in this WP(C), this writ petition is closed, reserving the right of the petitioner to approach this Court in case of any subsisting grievance.”

Smt. A. Aruna appeared for the petitioner, while Shri Lejo Joseph George, Shri E.C. Kuriakose, and Shri V. Tekchand (Senior Government Pleader) appeared for the respondents.

Case Title: Prasad Somarajan v. State of Kerala & Ors.

[Read Judgment]