The National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission has directed NHAI’s Project Implementation Unit to pay a total compensation of Rs 94,170 to a Nagpur resident whose vehicle was damaged after hitting a pothole on the Nagpur–Chhindwada Mahamarg toll road, ruling that collecting toll without ensuring a safe road constitutes a serious lapse in duty.
The complainant, Shrikant Diwakar Sirpurkar, was travelling from Nagpur to Chhindwada in a Tata Nexon on October 2, 2020. Near the Chhindwada toll plaza, his vehicle hit a pothole at speed, causing a tyre burst and significant damage. When he sought a complaint register at the toll booth, staff said none was available. After getting no response from the concerned authorities, he sent a legal notice to NHAI and eventually approached the consumer commission.
During the hearing, NHAI’s project implementation unit acknowledged that road repairs were pending at certain locations but argued that road safety responsibility did not squarely rest with it. The commission rejected this position, noting that toll plazas have a clear obligation to maintain safe road conditions for users, and that charging toll without fulfilling this duty amounts to a serious deficiency in service.
The commission awarded Rs 80,000 towards vehicle repair costs, Rs 170 as toll reimbursement, Rs 10,000 for mental and physical harassment, and Rs 4,000 towards litigation expenses. The full amount must be paid within 84 days.
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