NHAI TAKES STRICT ACTION ON MISBEHAVIOUR WITH ARMY JAWANS, CANCELS CONTRACT OF BHUMI TILL AGENCY, IMPOSES FINE OF Rs. 20 LAKH

NHAI TAKES STRICT ACTION ON MISBEHAVIOUR WITH ARMY JAWANS, CANCELS CONTRACT OF BHUMI TILL AGENCY, IMPOSES FINE OF Rs. 20 LAKH

25-AUG-ENG 1

RAJIV NAYAN AGRAWAL

DELHI---------------------------The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has set an example by taking major action in the case of misbehavior with an army jawan at the toll plaza. Following this incident at Bhuni toll plaza located on Meerut-Karnal Highway (NH-709A), NHAI has terminated the contract of the concerned toll collection agency, M/s Dharam Singh, with immediate effect.

This strict step has been taken after the unfortunate incident that took place on August 17, 2025, where the toll plaza employees had committed serious misbehavior with a serving soldier. In this case, NHAI has not only canceled the contract of the agency but has also imposed a hefty fine of Rs 20 lakh on it.

In addition, the agency has been banned from participating in any tender process for one year, which is a strong message for the future. The authority has also ordered the seizure of the agency's performance security of Rs 3.66 crore. This amount will be used to repair the equipment and structure damaged at the toll plaza during the incident.

According to NHAI, a show cause notice was issued to the toll agency after the incident. This tough decision was taken after the reply submitted by the agency was found unsatisfactory and the investigation confirmed serious violations of the terms of the contract. The investigation found serious allegations of indecency, scuffle, damage to public property and obstruction in the toll collection process by the toll staff to be true.

Taking lessons from this incident, NHAI has issued strict guidelines to all toll collection agencies to prevent recurrence of such incidents in future. The instructions clearly state that immediate and strict action should be taken against employees who misbehave with road users, especially public representatives and armed forces personnel.

The authority has also ordered all agencies to compulsorily organize training programs on soft skills and communication skills for their employees, so that they treat drivers with decency and respect.

The NHAI in its statement stressed that providing a safe and smooth travel experience to commuters on national highways is its top priority, and any kind of rudeness or hooliganism by toll employees will not be tolerated.