NHAI introduces stricter monitoring to ensure clean toilets and other user facilities at toll plazas

The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has introduced a stricter monitoring and enforcement mechanism as a part of its continued efforts to improve cleanliness and maintenance of toilet facilities along National Highways.

The new measures will ensure proper upkeep and maintenance of toilet blocks and other facilities, including toll collection booths, surrounding areas, and signboards. The citizen-centric initiative also aims to ensure that agencies responsible for maintaining public-facing infrastructure meet prescribed service standards and address deficiencies promptly.

Standards prescribed

User Fee Collection agencies, including the concessionaires, will be required to comply with the prescribed service standards for toilets and other facilities. Under the new mechanism, NHAI officials will inspect these facilities at least once a week. If any deficiency is found, the agency concerned will be issued a show-cause notice and directed to rectify the issue within the stipulated time.

To ensure transparency and proper monitoring, notices along with dated photographs will be uploaded on NHAI’s Datalake portal. The agency concerned will also be required to submit its reply and upload photographs showing the corrective action taken. NHAI field units will monitor progress and ensure that deficiencies are addressed within the prescribed time.

Penalties

Where a deficiency amounts to a violation of the contract or prescribed service standards, NHAI will impose the applicable penalty in accordance with the contractual provisions and existing guidelines.

NHAI has also introduced a provision to take action against agencies that repeatedly fail to rectify deficiencies. If the number of notices for unresolved deficiencies reaches or exceeds 10% of the total number of toll plazas being operated by an agency, the agency will be declared a “non-performer.” It will not be eligible to participate in bidding for toll plazas, regular toll plaza contracts, civil works, or any other NHAI bid for 15 days or until all pending deficiencies are rectified.

The new mechanism will apply to publicly funded toll plazas and other toll plazas where User Fee Collection Agencies are appointed by NHAI.

Picture challenge

In 2025, NHAI launched its citizen-centric initiative, the “Clean Toilet Picture Challenge”, which encouraged NH users to report unclean toilet facilities at toll plazas by uploading clear, geo-tagged, and time-stamped photographs through the Rajamargyatra Mobile App. Each eligible vehicle registration number reporting such an instance receives a reward of ₹1,000 as a FASTag recharge.