Ensure compliance of norms: Gurugram DC to toll plaza operators

Deputy commissioner Nishant Kumar Yadav, during a meeting of the district road safety committee on Thursday, directed the officials at Ghamroj, Kherki Daula, and Gurgaon-Faridabad Road toll plazas to ensure compliance of prescribed norms or face action, said the officials.

While reviewing inspections at all the toll plazas, the district administration apprised the committee of many flaws noticed at Ghamroj, such as absence of emergency lanes, lack of signages, toll plaza staff workers not wearing uniform and operating without identity cards, an expired fitness certificate of ambulance stationed in the area, among other such issues, according to the officials.

The inspection reports of the Kherki Daula toll plaza and the Gurgaon Faridabad Road toll plaza near Gwal Pahari were also discussed in detail and similar issues were highlighted.

“I have directed the sub-divisional-magistrates (SDMs) to issue notices to the toll plaza operators as per the rules, and the operators have to submit their replies within seven days. FIRs would be registered against toll operators who disobey the orders, as per rules, and negligence in this matter would not be tolerated,” said Yadav, adding that he will hold a meeting with all the toll operators in the district next month, regarding the compliance of the prescribed norms.

“The matter will be investigated, and further action will be taken as per the law,” said PK Kaushik, project director of National Highways Authority of India (NHAI).

A senior NHAI official, overseeing the operations at the Kherki Daula toll plaza, conceded that lapses such as absence of emergency lanes, lack of firefighting equipment, and lack of cranes were found during a spot inspection by the district administration on April 6. “Certain lapses were found during an inspection by the district administration earlier this month. Necessary directions have been issued to the toll operator concerned to fix all the deficiencies, failing which, action will be initiated against them by the NHAI,” said the senior official.

Charandeep Rana, executive engineer of Public Works Department (PWD), who oversees operations at the Gurgaon-Faridabad toll plaza, also attended the Thursday meeting. “I spoke to the toll operator following the district road safety committee meeting. They have been directed to fix everything pointed out during the meeting, and the work on addressing the issues has also commenced.”

Another major issue discussed during the meeting was the Safe School Vehicle policy. DC Yadav said that it is “mandatory for all the schools in the district to follow the Safe School Vehicle policy”, and instructed all the SDMs present at the meeting to check at least five schools in their respective jurisdictions every month. If irregularities are noticed during this period, they will be fined on the spot itself.

The DC also directed the officers concerned to remove illegal cuts and encroachments along the stretches on the main road of IMT Manesar, and appointed the naib tehsildar of Manesar as the duty magistrate for the task. He also directed the officials to repair the potholes on the service lanes of Rampura Chowk by the first week of May.

According to DC Yadav, he will also organise a meeting with the officials concerned on improving blackspots such as Hero Honda Chowk, Shankar Chowk, Khandsa Cut, Rajiv Chowk, Iffco Chowk, and MDI Chowk in a phased manner, and finding a permanent solution for the same. He also directed the SDMs concerned to identify at least five points in their respective areas where urgent fixations of potholes are required, so that the issue could be addressed during the next district committee meeting and those stretches could be amended on a priority basis, said the officials.