The Control of National Highways (Land and Traffic) Act, 2002
Administered Ministry: Ministry of Road Transport and Highways
Act details
| Short title | The Control of National Highways (Land and Traffic) Act, 2002 |
|---|---|
| Long title | An Act to provide for control of land within the National Highways, right of way and traffic moving on the National Highways and also for removal of unauthorised occupation thereon. |
| Act number | 13 of 2003 |
| Act year | 2003 |
| Enactment date | 14 Jan 2003 |
| Ministry | Ministry of Road Transport and Highways |
| Jurisdiction | Central (Parliament of India) |
| Sections | 50 |
| Status | Not repealed |
| Last checked on India Code | 29 Oct 2026 |
| Source | India Code, Government of India |
Legislative history
Legislative History:
The Control of National Highways (Land and Traffic) Act, 2002
Act Title The Control of National Highways (Land and Traffic) Act, 2002
Act Number 13 of 2003
Act ID (India Code) 200213
Presidential Assent Date January 14, 2003
Enforcement Date January 27, 2005
Nodal Ministry Ministry of Road Transport and Highways
Precedent & Statutory Rationale
1. Gaps in Pre-Existing Legal Framework:
o Prior to this enactment, National Highways were governed solely by the National Highways Act, 1956 (land acquisition/construction) and the National Highways Authority of India Act, 1988 (development and management).
o Neither Act provided adequate statutory mechanisms for preventing/removing unauthorized encroachments, controlling access points (service roads/junctions), or regulating traffic movement directly on National Highway lands.
2. Proliferation of Encroachments:
o Rapid ribbons of commercial encroachments, illegal structures, and unregulated traffic connections caused severe safety hazards, high accident rates, fuel wastage, and operational congestion across the national corridor network.
o Dedicated statutory powers were needed to declare highway land as Central Government property and establish empowered administrative bodies to clear encroachments.
Parliamentary Trajectory & Enactment
• Formulation: Drafted by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways to give statutory teeth to highway land control and traffic regulation.
• Parliamentary Passage: Considered, debated, and passed by both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha during the Winter Session of 2002.
• Presidential Assent: Received Presidential Assent on January 14, 2003, coming onto the statute book as Act No. 13 of 2003.
• Enforcement: Enforced on January 27, 2005.
Source: Official Records of Parliament, India Code, and Ministry of Road Transport and Highways.