Toll plaza staff misbehaves, NHAI orders ₹15L fine

The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has imposed a fine of ₹15 lakh on the agency operating the Bijwasan Fee Plaza on Delhi's NH-248BB. The penalty was issued after complaints of misbehavior by the toll plaza staff towards road users. NHAI has also directed the current operator, Riddhi Siddhi Associates, to transfer the toll plaza to a new agency by November 14, 2026.

The incident occurred on November 5 and involved personnel from Riddhi Siddhi Associates at the Bijwasan Fee Plaza. Upon learning of the misconduct, NHAI took action against the agency responsible for collecting tolls and managing staff at the toll plaza. According to NHAI, the breach of discipline and misconduct by the agency's personnel reflected a failure to adhere to its contractual obligations.

In addition to the monetary penalty, NHAI has issued a show cause notice to Riddhi Siddhi Associates and its owners or directors, proposing a one-year debarment from future NHAI tenders. The show cause notice requests the agency to provide a response to the proposed debarment. An earlier report by IANS cited NHAI's official statement, indicating that the agency was debarred from participating in ongoing and future tenders for one month, although the extent of the debarment remains unclear.

Commuters can report grievances related to toll plaza experiences through NHAI's "Toll Plaza Feedback" facility available on the Rajmargyatra mobile application. Users can rate their experience, select relevant journey-related options, and add remarks about the toll plaza. Annual passholders receive notifications through the application after crossing a toll plaza, inviting them to submit feedback.

Non-passholders can access the feature through the app's menu and report their experiences at any toll plaza. NHAI aims to improve the overall experience for National Highway users through this feedback mechanism.