How to File RTI with NHAI for Toll Disputes, Highway Projects and Land Acquisition Compensation

The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) is a statutory body established under the National Highways Authority of India Act, 1988. It operates under the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) and is responsible for the development, maintenance, and management of over 50,000 kilometres of National Highways across India.

NHAI is a public authority under Section 2(h) of the Right to Information Act, 2005. Every NHAI office — from headquarters in New Delhi to every Regional Office and Project Implementation Unit in the field — is legally obligated to respond to RTI applications within 30 days.

NHAI's work touches millions of citizens directly: toll collection from every vehicle on a National Highway, land acquisition from farmers and communities displaced by new highway projects, and maintenance of roads on which vehicle damage and accidents occur. RTI is the most effective legal instrument available to citizens to obtain accountability from this agency.

What Can You Achieve with RTI to NHAI?

• Toll fee disputes: Obtain the official toll rate schedule for a plaza and verify whether the correct rate was charged
• FASTag double deductions: Get transaction logs, lane records, and the official refund procedure for a specific toll plaza
• FASTag exemption eligibility: Confirm whether your vehicle category qualifies for toll exemption and on what legal basis
• Land acquisition compensation: Obtain the market value calculation, multiplier, solatium, and rehabilitation entitlements used to determine your award under the LARR Act 2013
• Acquisition notification details: Get copies of the preliminary and final notifications for a specific NH project and village
• Tender and contract details: Find the name of the contractor or concessionaire, contract value, and project completion timeline
• Road quality and maintenance: Obtain the contractor's maintenance obligations, inspection reports, and action taken on complaints
• Accident data: Request the number and nature of accidents on a specific stretch and what safety measures NHAI has mandated
• Project completion timelines: Ask for the original completion date, revised completion date, and reasons for delay

Where to File: The Right Authority

NHAI operates through a three-tier field structure. Filing with the right office ensures a faster and more substantive response.

How to find the correct office: Visit nhai.gov.in, go to "Contact Us" or "Regional Offices", and locate the office covering the NH number and state you are concerned with. If uncertain, file with the Regional Office — it can transfer your application to the PIU under Section 6(3) of the RTI Act at no additional cost to you.

RTI and Land Acquisition Under the LARR Act 2013

Land acquisition for National Highways is one of the most consequential exercises of state power in India. The Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013 (LARR Act 2013) entitles affected persons to:

• Compensation equal to four times the market value for rural land and two times the market value for urban land
• Solatium of 100% of the compensation amount (Section 30, LARR Act 2013)
• Annuity payments and rehabilitation and resettlement (R&R) entitlements for families losing their primary source of livelihood

Despite these guarantees, affected persons are routinely underpaid — because the base market value is drawn from outdated circle rates, the correct multiplier is not applied, or solatium is under-calculated. RTI is the most direct way to examine the compensation calculation and expose errors.

What to ask in a land acquisition RTI:

1. Copy of the preliminary notification (Section 3A equivalent) and final declaration (Section 3D) for the project in the relevant village and tehsil
2. The base market value per unit area used — specifically whether it was derived from circle rates or from average sale deeds registered in the preceding three years
3. The multiplier applied (2x urban, 4x rural) and the solatium rate (must be 100%)
4. The total award for your specific plot (identified by Khasra number), broken down into compensation, solatium, and R&R benefits
5. Whether compensation has been deposited in the LACDC or District Court — date and amount of deposit
6. Name and contact of the Land Acquisition Officer (LAO) handling the project in your district

If the RTI response reveals that the market value was under-assessed or the multiplier was incorrectly applied, you can challenge the award before the LACDC and, thereafter, before the High Court.

Toll Disputes: FASTag Overcharges and Exemption Issues

FASTag double deduction: Transaction logs maintained by the toll plaza operator record every deduction event — timestamp, lane, amount, vehicle registration, and tag ID. RTI can obtain this log to establish that two deductions occurred within a single crossing event.

Toll rate disputes: The official toll rate schedule for every NHAI-managed plaza is a public document. RTI can obtain the schedule applicable to your vehicle class for comparison against what was charged.

Exemption eligibility: Certain vehicle categories are exempt from toll under various notifications. If your vehicle was charged despite qualifying for exemption, RTI can obtain the exemption notification and instructions issued to the plaza.

How to File on rtionline.gov.in

1. Go to rtionline.gov.in and click Submit Request
2. Select Ministry of Road Transport and Highways
3. Select National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) as the public authority; choose the Regional Office if listed
4. State your questions clearly — mention the NH number, km markers, Khasra number, toll plaza name, date of incident, or other identifying details
5. Pay ₹10 online. BPL cardholders are exempt — attach a copy of your BPL card
6. Submit and note your registration number for tracking

Tip: If you are seeking copies of documents (notifications, award orders, contracts), say explicitly: "I seek a certified copy of document name." This ensures the CPIO provides the document and not merely a summary.

A Note on Section 8(1)(h): NHAI's Common Exemption Plea

NHAI sometimes refuses to provide information about contract disputes or land acquisition challenges by citing Section 8(1)(h) — which exempts information that would impede ongoing investigations or prosecutions. This exemption is frequently invoked incorrectly. It does not apply to:

• Concluded matters: Once an award is made or arbitration settled, those records are not shielded
• Background facts: The market value calculation, notification dates, and solatium rate are factual records, not litigation strategy
• Contracts and tender documents: These are not investigation records

If NHAI rejects your application under Section 8(1)(h) for information about a concluded land acquisition or a past toll overcharge, this is a ground for First Appeal and, if needed, a Second Appeal before the CIC.

Appeals

First Appeal (Section 19(1)): If no response within 30 days, or if unsatisfactory, file with the First Appellate Authority (FAA) at the same NHAI office within 30 days of the date of decision or expiry of the 30-day response period, whichever is applicable. The FAA must decide within 30 days (extendable to 45 days with reasons).

Second Appeal (Section 19(3)): If the FAA's response is absent or unsatisfactory, file a Second Appeal with the Central Information Commission (CIC) within 90 days of the FAA's decision or the expiry of the First Appeal period. The CIC can direct disclosure, impose a penalty of up to ₹25,000 on the CPIO under Section 20 of the RTI Act, and recommend disciplinary action.