New Delhi: The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has introduced stricter monitoring rules to improve the cleanliness and maintenance of toilet blocks and other public facilities at toll plazas across National Highways. Under the new mechanism, agencies responsible for collecting user fees must rectify reported deficiencies within a stipulated period or risk penalties, including temporary disqualification from NHAI bidding.
The measures cover toilets, toll collection booths, surrounding areas and signboards. They aim to improve the experience of highway users by ensuring that facilities remain clean, functional and properly maintained.
NHAI officials will inspect the facilities at least once a week. The authority will also use digital records, dated photographs and time-bound corrective action to monitor compliance and hold agencies accountable.
Weekly Inspections to Improve Toll Plaza Facilities
Under the new monitoring framework, User Fee Collection Agencies must maintain toilets and other facilities according to prescribed service standards and contractual requirements.
NHAI officials will conduct inspections at least once every week to identify deficiencies. If an inspection reveals a problem, the concerned agency will receive a show-cause notice and instructions to rectify it within the specified period.
The system is designed to ensure that issues such as unclean toilets, poorly maintained surroundings and other service-related deficiencies receive timely attention rather than remaining unresolved.
For highway users, regular inspections could help improve access to clean toilets and better-maintained facilities during long journeys. Such facilities are particularly important for families, children, senior citizens and other travellers who need reliable stopping points along highways.
Digital Monitoring Through NHAI’s Data Lake Portal
NHAI has introduced a digital documentation process to strengthen transparency and track whether agencies have corrected reported problems.
Under the mechanism, notices will be uploaded to NHAI’s Data Lake portal along with dated photographs showing the deficiencies. The concerned agency must submit its reply and upload photographs demonstrating the corrective action taken.
NHAI field units will monitor the progress and check whether the agency has resolved the issues within the prescribed timeframe.
This process creates a record of the deficiency, the notice issued and the action taken by the responsible agency. It also enables officials to monitor compliance more systematically.
By combining physical inspections with digital evidence, NHAI aims to reduce delays in resolving maintenance problems and strengthen accountability among agencies operating toll plazas.
Repeated Failures May Lead to a 15-Day Bidding Ban
The new framework also introduces stricter consequences for agencies that repeatedly fail to address deficiencies.
Where a deficiency constitutes a violation of the contract or prescribed service standards, NHAI will impose the applicable penalty under existing contractual provisions and guidelines.
The authority has also specified a threshold for identifying persistent non-performance. If notices for unresolved deficiencies reach or exceed 10% of the total number of toll plazas operated by an agency, the agency will be declared a non-performer.
Such an agency will become ineligible to participate in NHAI bidding for 15 days or until all pending deficiencies are rectified, as specified under the new mechanism.
The restriction extends to bidding for toll plazas, regular toll plaza contracts, civil works and other NHAI bids.
The provision is intended to discourage repeated non-compliance and encourage agencies to address maintenance issues promptly. It also links the quality of service delivery with an agency’s eligibility to compete for future NHAI work.
Rules Apply to NHAI-Appointed User Fee Collection Agencies
The new monitoring mechanism will apply to publicly funded toll plazas and other toll plazas where NHAI appoints User Fee Collection Agencies.
It will operate alongside existing policies, guidelines and contractual provisions rather than replace them.
The framework places responsibility on agencies to maintain public-facing facilities while giving NHAI officials a more structured process to identify deficiencies, issue notices and monitor corrective action.
The effectiveness of the system will depend on regular inspections, timely follow-up and consistent enforcement of the prescribed standards.
Clean Toilet Picture Challenge Encourages Public Participation
The latest measures build on NHAI’s Clean Toilet Picture Challenge, launched in 2025 to encourage highway users to report unclean toilet facilities at toll plazas.
Under the initiative, travellers can upload clear, geo-tagged and time-stamped photographs of unclean toilets through the Rajmargyatra mobile app.
Each eligible vehicle registration number reporting such an instance receives a reward of ₹1,000 as a FASTag recharge, according to NHAI.
The initiative gives highway users a way to flag problems they encounter during their journeys. Their reports can complement official inspections by helping authorities identify facilities that require attention.
The picture challenge and the strengthened monitoring framework form part of a broader approach that combines public participation, inspections, digital documentation and time-bound corrective action.
Focus on a Better Highway Travel Experience
Clean and functional facilities are an important part of highway infrastructure. While road quality and travel time remain major concerns, the condition of toilets, toll booths, signboards and surrounding areas also affects the overall travel experience.
NHAI’s revised mechanism seeks to ensure that agencies responsible for these facilities meet their contractual obligations and resolve problems without unnecessary delay.
The combination of weekly inspections, digital records and penalties for repeated failures could strengthen oversight of toll plaza services. Public reporting through the Rajmargyatra app adds another layer of accountability by allowing travellers to highlight deficiencies.
The new rules do not guarantee that every facility will immediately meet the required standards. However, they establish a clearer process for identifying problems, tracking corrective action and taking action against persistent non-performers.
For National Highway users, the key outcome to watch will be whether these measures lead to cleaner toilets, better-maintained toll plazas and more dependable facilities during road journeys.
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