New Delhi, Oct 9: National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) on Monday said it has issued Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to safeguard commuters and toll operators, reduce incidents of altercations and strengthen security at toll plazas.
According to an official statement, the detailed SOPs include guidelines for NHAI field offices to ensure strict implementation and adherence by toll-collecting agencies to manage staff and road users.
According to the SOPs, NHAI field offices will ensure that the toll collecting agency performs their duties following guidelines.According to the statement, the toll collecting agency will make sure that employees at toll plazas are wearing the required name badge and NHAI uniform, and any anticipated violent incident should only be handled by the toll plaza manager or lane supervisor, who will also be wearing body cameras to record such incidents. According to the statement, if a commuter exhibits disruptive behaviour, the lane supervisor must step in and attempt a peaceful resolution. Under no circumstances shall toll plaza workers engage in abusive behaviour or use offensive language. In the event that the problem continues or worsens, Toll Plaza officials may seek assistance from the local police and file a FIR, it was stated. The workers can submit videos of these incidents to authorities, the statement claims.According to the statement, the toll collecting agency must promptly report any incident involving an act of violence by a road user or damage to public property at the toll plaza to police and the NHAI Project Implementation Unit with all required documentation/proof. According to the statement, NHAI field offices must make sure that the toll collection agency has completed police verification of each and every employee deployed at the toll plaza. Additionally, toll collecting organisations have been requested to instruct toll plaza employees to show consideration for other road users.In order for NHAI field staff to report inaction by the relevant authorities and request action, toll collection agencies have also been requested to provide a monthly statement of incidents/FIRs to the NHAI Project Implementation Unit involved.
