NHAI blacklists 14 toll agencies for irregularities

The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has blacklisted 14 toll collection agencies for irregular practices. This decision comes after a probe found evidence of fraud in toll collection, led by the Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force (STF). The NHAI has issued show-cause notices to the agencies involved in the fraud. In total, 13 fee-collecting agencies have been banned for two years based on a police report. The NHAI also reported that over 12.5 lakh refunds were issued in 2024 due to incorrect toll charges on National Highways. The agencies that have been blacklisted include AK Construction, Alok Buildtech, Anil Kumar Shukla, and several others. These agencies have been penalized with fees exceeding Rs 2 crore due to errors in toll collection. Issues arose when vehicles were charged toll fees without using highways, often because incorrect vehicle registration numbers were entered into the system. To maintain operations at the affected toll plazas, the NHAI plans to appoint new agencies to take over from the debarred ones.