The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has imposed a Rs 15 lakh penalty on Riddhi Siddhi Associates and barred the agency from participating in its ongoing and future tenders for one month after its personnel allegedly misbehaved with and assaulted a road user at the Bijwasan Fee Plaza on NH-248BB.
The action relates to an incident involving a family at the Gurugram toll plaza on November 5. NHAI has also issued a show-cause notice proposing to extend the debarment to one year and include the agency’s owners and directors. The authority said the proposed action would be considered after the agency responds to the notice.
According to NHAI, the incident reflected a failure by the fee collection agency to ensure discipline, proper supervision and compliance with its contractual obligations. Under the contract, the agency is responsible for the conduct and discipline of personnel deployed at the toll plaza.
NHAI said Riddhi Siddhi Associates had been directed to hand over the fee plaza to a new contractor on November 14. The change is part of the authority’s response to the incident and its assessment of the agency’s performance at the facility.
The case highlights the operational responsibility carried by private toll collection agencies at facilities that handle daily interactions between highway users and personnel managing fee collection. While the immediate action is directed at the contractor, the contract places the responsibility for staff behaviour and supervision on the agency operating the plaza.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, NHAI said it follows a zero-tolerance policy towards misconduct and indiscipline at toll plazas. The authority said its objective was to ensure a safe and secure commuting experience for users of National Highways.
NHAI has also introduced a Toll Plaza Feedback feature on its Rajmargyatra mobile application. The feature allows commuters to rate their experience, choose relevant feedback options and submit remarks about individual toll plazas. The authority said the system would provide users with a channel to report their experience at toll facilities.
The proposed one-year debarment, including the agency’s owners and directors, remains subject to the show-cause process. The immediate one-month restriction, the Rs 15 lakh penalty and the planned handover to a new contractor are the measures announced by NHAI following the Bijwasan incident.
