New Delhi, May 22 -- The Supreme Court on Wednesday directed the Centre to constitute surveillance teams for regular highway patrols to inspect and collect data regarding unauthorised encroachments.

A bench led by Justice Abhay S. Oka issued a slew of directions to the Centre concerning illegally occupied highway lands. It directed the Highway Administration, under the National Highways (Land and Traffic) Act, 2002 and the Highway Administration Rules, 2004, to formulate a detailed Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for constituting inspection teams tasked with monitoring National Highways and collecting data on unauthorised occupation of highway land.

Additionally, the Court directed the Union of India to establish surveillance teams c...