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Synopsis

Taking suo motu cognizance of the fire tragedy on the Jaipur-Ajmer-Kishangarh-Bhankrota Highway on December 20, 2024, the Rajasthan High Court termed the mishap as a “shocking and pricking” event that exposed lapses in road safety and disaster preparedness. The court stressed the need for an immediate and detailed investigation into the incident and called for enhanced compensation for victims.

Justice Anoop Kumar Dhand observed that the fire, which erupted when a truck collided with an LPG tanker attempting a U-turn at a black spot near Delhi Public School, claimed more than a dozen lives, inflicted severe injuries on dozens more, and caused widespread devastation over an 800-meter radius.

Describing the tragic sequence of events, the court noted that the massive fire, accompanied by multiple explosions, forced nearby areas to shut down, disrupted educational institutions, and necessitated changes to road routes. The court also underscored the systemic failures leading to the tragedy, stating that the incident highlighted the lack of adequate safety measures at hazardous black spots and U-turns. Emphasising the need for implementation of disaster management laws, the court stated, “The Act, the Policy, the Rules and the Schemes formulated by the Government deserve to be implemented in their letter and spirit and the same should not remain on a piece of paper in the records only.”

Drawing parallels to previous chemical disasters such as the Bhopal Gas Tragedy (1984) and the 2009 Jaipur IOC depot fire, the court remarked, “Such accidents are significant in terms of injuries, pain, suffering, loss of lives, damage to properties and environment. India continued to witness a series of chemical accidents even after Bhopal had demonstrated the vulnerability of the country. Only in last decade, 130 significant chemical accidents were reported in India, which resulted into 259 deaths and 563 number of persons with major injuries.”

While the Central Government announced compensation of ₹2 lakh for the families of the deceased and ₹50,000 for the injured, the court found the measures inadequate. “In the considered opinion of this Court the above steps on the part of the Government are not sufficient; the matter requires immediate serious enquiry and investigation and appropriate amount of compensation is required to be paid to the family members of the deceased, the injured persons and to all the victims whose vehicles and properties have been damaged,” observed the court.

The court, in furtherance, issued notices to the Union of India, the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, and the Rajasthan Government, outlining urgent measures to prevent similar disasters.

The court directed the authorities to address the following points:

(i) Conduct an inquiry into the negligence and failure to fulfill statutory duties leading to the incident.

(ii) Ensure adequate compensation for the families of the deceased, the injured, and those whose vehicles and properties were damaged.

(iii) Relocate hazardous factories and godowns storing inflammable chemicals and gases to less populated areas.

(iv) Strictly enforce relevant legal provisions and implement disaster management plans across revenue districts.

(v) Expedite completion of ongoing construction projects for bridges and overpasses within a time-bound framework.

(vi) Develop policies for designated routes for vehicles carrying highly inflammable or hazardous materials to prevent similar incidents.

(vii) Identify black spots and dangerous U-turns on highways, implementing preventive measures such as danger alarms.

The court also sought assistance from the President, High Court Bar Association, Jaipur Mahendra Shandilya, Advocate General Rajendra Prasad, ASG R.D. Rastogi, and Advocate Sandeep Pathak.

Furthermore, the Chief Secretary of Rajasthan and other departmental heads were directed to file reports on the steps taken by the Central and State Governments on these issues.

The matter will be listed before the PIL bench on January 10, 2025.

 

Cause Title: Suo Motu: In Re: Massive Fire Broke Out at Jaipur-Ajmer-Kishangarh-Bhankrota Highway