The National Highways Authority of India has deployed more than 5,100 women staff during day shifts at over 1,140 toll plazas across National Highways and expressways, according to a statement by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways.
The initiative is aimed at promoting women’s empowerment and inclusivity in toll operations, while also improving service delivery at toll plazas and reducing the likelihood of disputes during user fee collection, according to the ministry.
“The decision was taken after deliberations and discussions with various stakeholders, including fee plaza operators and key industry associations such as the National Highways Builder Federation (NHBF), Highway Operators Association of India (HOAI), and the All India User Fee Contractors Federation (AIUCF),” the ministry said.
The ministry said toll operators have unanimously agreed to deploy women staff during day shifts for user fee collection at toll plazas.
Over 5,100 female toll staff have already been deployed, and more are expected to join in the near future, it added.
The ministry said NHAI will closely monitor the implementation of the initiative to ensure compliance.
According to the ministry, the move is also expected to generate employment opportunities for women, particularly in rural and semi-urban areas, while increasing their participation in the National Highway infrastructure sector.
As part of the initiative, NHAI will also facilitate specialised training for the deployed women staff, especially those from rural areas.
The training will cover courteous behaviour with highway users, handling emergency situations, basic safety protocols, and maintaining efficient toll plaza operations.
This structured capacity-building effort will help enhance service quality while ensuring a safe and professional working environment.
By encouraging greater involvement of women in frontline operational roles, NHAI aims to promote gender inclusivity and social empowerment, alongside improving service delivery at National Highway toll plazas across the country, the ministry said.
