Jaipur, Nov. 11 -- The Supreme Court on Monday directed the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) to conduct a detailed inspection of Rajasthan's national highways and the road safety measures in place, in the wake of the Phalodi collision on November 4 that left 15 people dead, and subsequently submit a report within two weeks. The bench, comprising of justice JK Maheshwari and justice Vijay Bishnoi, appointed senior advocate AS Nadkarni as amicus curiae to assist the court in examining larger issues of road safety and corresponding administrative accountability. The court also ordered that the state's chief secretary Sudhash Pant be made a party respondent and directed a status report on the matter. According to additional advocate general Shiv Mangal Sharma, who appeared on behalf of the state, the court sought information on the number of commercial establishment located along the state's highways in addition to the comprehensive safety assessment from the national highway maintenance body. Sharma assured the Bench that the Rajasthan government would extend full cooperation and take all necessary measures to assist the court in improving safety standards across national highways. The court also took note of a similar fatal road accident in Srikakulam, Andhra Pradesh, and directed that the Chief Secretary of Andhra Pradesh be impleaded as a respondent to ensure a coordinated national approach toward regulating roadside structures and strengthening safety protocols. The top court's intervention comes amid a spate of serious road accidents in Rajasthan. After 2 successive accidents on November 4, both the Jaipur and Jodhpur benches of the Rajasthan High Court took suo motu cognizance of the alarming trend within a day. Expressing grave concern, the High Court had observed, "This Court is deeply concerned over the recurring loss of human lives on the roads of Rajasthan, and is appalled by the continuous reports highlighting that a series of accidents has claimed nearly one hundred lives in the last two weeks. The alarming frequency of these fatal accidents calls for an immediate and coordinated institutional response. The Court cannot remain a passive spectator when such incidents, avoidable with due diligence and proper regulation, continue to erode the fundamental right to life guaranteed under Article 21 of the Constitution of India."...