NHAI has issued SoP to safeguard of Toll Plaza Operators

To curb altercation incidents and strengthen security at National Highway Toll Plazas, National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has issued Standard Operating Procedures (SoP) to safeguard interests of both the commuters and toll operators.

The detailed Standard Operating Procedure include guidelines for National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) field offices to ensure strict implementation and adherence by toll collecting agencies to manage staff and road users.

In to the addition this, ‘Toll par Calm’ a special drive has been initiated by National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) at Toll Plazas. Under this initiative, National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has collaborated with professional Psychologists for anger management and customer delight training to Toll Plaza staff.

The first training session was conducted at Murthal Toll plaza in Haryana, and more trainings will be conducted on other toll plazas across the India. As per the SoP, National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) field offices will make sure that the toll collecting agency performs their duties as per the guidelines.

The toll collecting agency will ensure that staff at toll plaza wear the prescribed National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) uniform with a name badge. If any anticipated incidence of violence found, it should only be handled by Toll Plaza Manager/ lane supervisors, who will wear body cameras to record the instances of violence at the toll plazas.

In case of unruly behavior by a road user, the toll plaza lane supervisor shall intervene and try to resolve the issue peacefully. Under the no circumstances, toll plaza staff shall use provocative language or resort to violence. Toll Plaza official staffs may take help from local police stations and lodge a FIR in case the issue persists or escalates. Videography can be done by the toll plaza staff as proof to report such incidents to the police station.

If Any incidence happens which involves physical violence by the road user or damage to public property at the toll, it should immediately be reported by toll collecting agency to the police station and concerned National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) Project Implementation Unit with all necessary documents and proofs for action.

National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) field offices shall ensure that toll collecting agency possess police verification of each and every staffs deployed at the toll plaza. Also toll collecting agency must direct the toll plaza staffs to be courteous with road users.

The toll collection agency should also give monthly statement of incidents/ FIRs to the concerned National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) Project Implementation Unit, so that in case of inaction by the authorities, National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) field officials can report the same to the District Collector and request for action. Consolidated reports may be taken up by National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) Regional Office at state level meetings.    

Toll plazas witness altercations between road users and toll plaza staffs over toll issues. At toll, heated arguments in some cases turns into the physical violences. The issuance of Standard Operating procedure (SOP) will help to minimize such instances and will help both highway users and toll plaza officials in smooth conduct of the day-to-day operations at toll plaza.