NHAI sets new standards for toll-plaza toilets and parking

NHAI has issued guidelines to upgrade and maintain toilets and designated parking areas at National Highway toll plazas, according to an October 23 PIB release. The standards cover repairs, cleaning, lighting, drainage and accessibility; they do not establish that upgrades at every plaza are already complete.

Each covered plaza must have at least one accessible toilet with barrier-free entry and suitable fittings. The guidelines also provide for better-lit approaches and parking, CCTV coverage of those areas and provision for future electric-vehicle charging infrastructure. This is not an announcement that charging stations are already available.

Planned digital monitoring will track water, sewage, leakages and equipment issues, with feedback through QR codes linked to the Rajmargyatra app and facility touchscreens. Mechanised desludging is mandatory, with manual entry into septic tanks, manholes and sewer lines prohibited. Inspections, deadlines and penalties are intended to hold maintenance agencies accountable.