NHAI issues new guidelines for toilets and parking at highway toll plazas

What has happened

The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has issued guidelines for upgrading, maintaining and smart-monitoring public toilets and designated parking at toll plazas on national highways. This was announced in an official release dated 23 October 2026. The stated aim is to give highway users clean, safe and smoothly working public facilities.

What changes in toilets

Existing toilet facilities will first be technically assessed to identify repairs and changes needed. The upgrade will cover flooring, plumbing, sanitary fittings, lighting, ventilation, drainage, signboards and other essential facilities. Deployment of cleaning staff and cleaning schedules will be fixed according to the size of toilet blocks and traffic levels.

Safety and accessibility

The guidelines provide measures for the safety of women highway users and families stopping at night. These include proper lighting, CCTV monitoring on paths to toilets and in parking areas, sanitary napkin vending machines and clear, easily visible signboards. Every covered toll plaza must have at least one barrier-free toilet for persons with disabilities, with suitable doors and support handrails.

Parking improvements

Parking areas will be improved with designated parking bays and proper drainage. Provision has also been made for developing electric vehicle charging infrastructure in future.

Smart monitoring and citizen feedback

Technology-based monitoring will help track water availability, odour, sewage levels, leakage, power supply and the number of users in toilets. Alerts will be issued for problems such as water shortage, sewage overflow and equipment failure so that corrective action can be taken in time. Data from smart monitoring will be integrated with NHAI’s central digital platform, letting officials monitor facility status, maintenance, complaints and agency performance on a central dashboard.

Highway users can give feedback through QR codes placed on toilet facilities, linked to the Rajmargyatra app, or through touchscreens available there. Recording complaints and suggestions digitally will help officials track problems and their resolution.

Rules for sanitation work

Cleaning of septic tanks, soak pits and sewer lines, and removal of sludge from them, must be done using fully mechanised methods. Manual cleaning of septic tanks, manholes and sewer lines is completely prohibited.

How accountability will work

The guidelines set out a structured inspection system: daily supervision, weekly technical inspection, monthly joint review, quarterly audit and annual third-party assessment. Performance will be judged on physical inspections, monitoring data and verified citizen feedback. Clear timelines are set for fixing problems. There is a provision for financial penalties for poor maintenance, and agencies that repeatedly fail to meet the standards may face strict action.