Altercation incidents at toll plazas: NHAI issues SOP, training program toll operations

The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has issued a Standard Operating Procedures (SoP) to curb incidents of altercations at toll plazas and enhance security. As per official sources, the NHAI has issued the SOPs to safeguard the interests of both the commuters and toll operators. It includes guidelines for NHAI field offices to ensure strict implementation and adherence by toll collection agencies to manage staff and road users.

The NHAI has also launched the ‘Toll par Calm’ special drive at toll plazas. As per a PIB report, the NHAI has collaborated with professional psychologists for anger management and customer delight training for toll plaza staff. The first training session was conducted at Murthal Toll Plaza in Haryana, and more training will be conducted on other toll plazas across the country.

SoP Details

The toll collecting agency will ensure that staff at the toll plaza wear the prescribed NHAI uniform with a name badge.

Any anticipated incidence of violence should only be handled by Toll Plaza Manager/ lane supervisors, who will wear body cameras to record instances of violence at the toll plazas. In case of unruly behavior by a road user, the lane supervisor shall intervene and try to resolve the issue peacefully.

Under no circumstances, toll plaza staff shall use provocative language or resort to violence. Toll Plaza officials may take help from local police and lodge an FIR in case the issue persists or escalates.

Any incidence that involves physical violence by the road user or damage to public property at the toll plaza should immediately be reported by the toll-collecting agency to the police and the concerned NHAI Project Implementation Unit with all necessary documents/ proof, the report added.