Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi
New Delhi, Oct 12: The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has introduced a stricter monitoring and enforcement mechanism to ensure proper maintenance of toilet blocks, toll collection booths, surrounding areas, signboards and other facilities at toll plazas, an official statement said on Monday.
Under the new mechanism, User Fee Collection Agencies will be required to comply with prescribed service standards for toilets and other facilities. NHAI officials will inspect these facilities at least once a week to ensure proper upkeep.
The initiative aims to ensure that agencies responsible for maintaining public-facing infrastructure adhere to the prescribed service standards and promptly address deficiencies, according to a statement issued by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways.
If any deficiency in maintenance is detected, the concerned User Fee Collection Agency will be issued a show-cause notice and directed to rectify the problem within the stipulated time.
The notices, along with dated photographs, will be uploaded to NHAI’s Data Lake portal to ensure transparency and effective monitoring. The agency concerned will also have to submit its reply and upload photographs showing the corrective action taken. NHAI field units will monitor the progress and ensure that all deficiencies are rectified within the prescribed timeframe.
“Where a deficiency amounts to a violation of the contract or prescribed service standards, NHAI will impose the applicable penalty in accordance with the contractual provisions and existing guidelines,” the statement said.
NHAI has also introduced provisions to take action against agencies that repeatedly fail to rectify deficiencies. If notices for unresolved deficiencies reach or exceed 10 per cent of the total number of toll plazas operated by an agency, it will be declared a non-performer.
Such agencies will be barred from participating in bids for toll plazas, regular toll plaza contracts, civil works or any other NHAI tender for 15 days or until all pending deficiencies are rectified.
The new mechanism will apply to publicly funded toll plazas and other toll plazas where User Fee Collection Agencies are appointed by NHAI. It will operate alongside existing policies, guidelines and contractual provisions.