NHAI has imposed a ₹15 lakh penalty on the user-fee collection agency at the Bijwasan toll plaza on NH-248BB and started proceedings to suspend its contract after an alleged physical altercation with road users on 5 Nov 2026. The action matters to drivers because the dispute reportedly began over a blacklisted FASTag, but NHAI says toll-plaza staff must not intimidate or assault commuters.
Key takeaways
- NHAI says it issued a show-cause notice to the agency on 5 Nov 2026 and imposed the ₹15 lakh penalty for serious misconduct.
- The authority has started proceedings recommending immediate contract suspension; possible debarment is still a matter for the contractual process.
- Reports say the dispute involved a blacklisted FASTag. The incident does not announce a new toll rate or a new FASTag charge for drivers.
- Keep the vehicle number, plaza, lane, time, transaction messages and receipts if a toll or FASTag dispute occurs.
Image note: This is a representative AI-generated toll-plaza visual and does not depict the Bijwasan incident.
What NHAI has ordered
The National Highways Authority of India said it had taken serious cognisance of the 5 Nov 2026 incident involving personnel of the user-fee collection agency and road users at Bijwasan Fee Plaza. In the statement carried by Aaj Tak, NHAI said it imposed a ₹15 lakh penalty, issued a show-cause notice on the day of the incident and began proceedings recommending immediate suspension of the contract awarded to M/s Riddhi Siddhi Associates.
The Tribune reported the same action on 10 Nov 2026, identifying the plaza as part of NH-248BB. NHAI also said further action, including debarment of the agency, would be considered under the applicable contractual provisions. That wording is important: the penalty has been reported as imposed, but a final debarment decision has not been announced.
What happened at the plaza
According to reports by The Tribune and Aaj Tak, the incident followed a dispute involving a car’s blacklisted FASTag. Aaj Tak reported that a video of the confrontation circulated online and that Delhi Police began a preliminary inquiry, including checking CCTV footage at the plaza. The details of the incident remain allegations under investigation, so the account of the altercation should not be treated as a final police or court finding.
NHAI’s public response focused on the conduct expected from fee-plaza personnel. It said staff must maintain discipline and interact with commuters courteously and professionally, and that misbehaviour, intimidation, harassment or physical assault against road users is unacceptable. The response is an accountability action against the operating agency; it is not a change to the toll collection rate on NH-248BB.
Why a FASTag dispute still needs a calm paper trail
A blacklisted tag can interrupt normal electronic toll processing, but a payment or account problem should be handled through the issuer, the plaza’s support process and the highway authority. A driver who leaves the vehicle or confronts staff can create a safety risk and make it harder to establish what happened later. The useful first step is to keep the interaction factual and preserve the records generated around it.
Note the plaza name, lane, date and time, vehicle registration number and the FASTag issuer. Save the balance screen, bank debit alert, SMS, transaction reference, receipt or any message showing a failed or disputed payment. If the tag was shown as blacklisted, keep a screenshot of that status and ask the issuer to explain the reason through its official channel.
For a practical route through issuer complaints and escalation, see the FASTag customer-care and complaint guide. If the issue is a wrong deduction, the FASTag balance and deduction checklist can help organise the transaction details before a complaint is filed.
What commuters should do if staff misbehave
- Prioritise safety: remain inside the vehicle where possible, avoid an argument and ask for a supervisor or official assistance.
- Record the basics: note the plaza, lane, time, vehicle registration number, tag issuer and what payment or tag message appeared.
- Preserve evidence: keep SMS alerts, bank records, receipts, screenshots and any lawful recording that shows the sequence of events.
- Use formal channels: complain to the FASTag issuer and the relevant NHAI support route. The site’s toll-charge calculator can help separate the expected route toll from a disputed deduction.
- Report threats or violence: contact local police when there is a safety threat or physical assault, and include the plaza and time in the complaint.
What to watch next
The next steps are the agency’s response to the show-cause notice, NHAI’s decision on contract suspension and any later decision on debarment. Police were also reported to be examining CCTV footage. Until those processes conclude, drivers should distinguish between what NHAI has already announced—the ₹15 lakh penalty and suspension proceedings—and what remains proposed or under review.
The incident also gives regular users a reason to check their toll records before a long drive. A route’s toll bill and fuel bill are separate parts of the trip budget, so the fuel cost calculator can be used alongside a toll estimate when planning a journey. That will not resolve a plaza dispute, but it can make an unexpected FASTag deduction easier to identify.
Reader takeaway
NHAI’s action makes clear that a disagreement over FASTag status does not justify threatening or physically confronting road users. For drivers, the practical protection is a valid tag, a calm response, a complete record of the transaction and a complaint made through traceable channels. The Bijwasan case is still moving through administrative and police processes, but the ₹15 lakh penalty shows that toll-plaza conduct can trigger action against the agency operating the lane.
