New Delhi, May 10 (IANS): NHAI has taken strict action and debarred toll operator M/s Riddhi Siddhi Associates for an incident of assault and misbehaviour with National Highway users at Sirmandi Toll Plaza on Amritsar-Jamnagar section in Rajasthan, according to an official statement issued on Friday.

NHAI has blacklisted the toll operator after an incident of assault and misbehaviour by the employees of the toll operating agency with highway users at Sirmandi Toll Plaza was reported on May 5.

“The Authority has debarred M/s Riddhi Siddhi Associates for a period of three months from the list of pre-qualified bidders,” according to an NHAI statement.

NHAI had issued a ‘show cause’ notice to the firm over the incident and the reply submitted by the toll operating agency was not found to be satisfactory.

It was noted that in total violation of contractual provisions and NHAI Standing Operating Procedure, the agency indulged in violence and misbehaved with highway users, the official statement said.

NHAI’s contract agreement with its toll operators clearly defines that the personnel deployed by the contractor shall not misbehave with the members of the public and shall observe strict discipline and decency in their behaviour, the statement added.

Last year, NHAI issued a detailed Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) to curb incidents of altercations at toll plazas and safeguard the interests of both the commuters and the toll operators.