How to File RTI for NHAI Highway Construction, Toll and Land Acquisition

The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) is a statutory body constituted under the National Highways Authority of India Act, 1988, under the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways. It is responsible for the development, maintenance, and management of National Highways across the country. As a body established by a Central Act of Parliament and substantially funded by the Government of India, NHAI is a public authority under Section 2(h) of the RTI Act, 2005 and is fully subject to RTI obligations.

Citizens living along National Highways — whether they are landowners whose fields were acquired for road widening, commuters subjected to questionable toll charges, or residents affected by construction quality failures — have a direct and legitimate interest in NHAI's records. RTI is the most effective legal tool available to access those records.

What Can You Achieve with RTI to NHAI?

RTI applications to NHAI are most commonly used for the following purposes:

RTI cannot compel NHAI to take action — for enforcement you must escalate to the NHAI General Manager, the Ministry, or approach the National Highways Tribunal or the High Court. But RTI evidence is what makes those escalations effective.

Where to File: The Right Authority

NHAI vs State PWD — The Most Important Distinction

NHAI has jurisdiction only over National Highways notified under the National Highways Act, 1956. State highways, major district roads, other district roads, and rural roads fall under the State Public Works Department (PWD), the State Roads Development Corporation, or rural development bodies — none of which are under NHAI or the Central Government.

Before filing RTI with NHAI, confirm that the road is notified as a National Highway. The easiest way is to check the NH number: roads designated as NH-X are under the Central Government. If in doubt, check the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways website (morth.nic.in).

Which NHAI Office to File With

NHAI operates through a headquarter in New Delhi and a network of Regional Offices and Project Implementation Units (PIUs). The correct CPIO for your application depends on what you are asking:

• Project-level information (contractor details, quality reports, land acquisition for a specific stretch): file with the CPIO of the Project Implementation Unit (PIU) responsible for that highway stretch. PIU addresses are available on the NHAI website (nhai.gov.in).
• Regional matters (multiple projects in a state, concessionaire performance across corridors): file with the CPIO of the NHAI Regional Office for your state.
• Policy, aggregate data, or decisions at board level: file with the CPIO at NHAI Headquarters, G-5 & 6, Sector-10, Dwarka, New Delhi – 110075.

On rtionline.gov.in, navigate to Ministry of Road Transport and Highways and select National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) as the public authority. NHAI and MoRTH are listed separately — choose NHAI for operational highway project matters.

How to File: Step by Step

Step 1 — Identify the correct highway and responsible PIU. Confirm the NH number, the kilometre range of your area of interest, and the NHAI PIU or Regional Office responsible. The NHAI website (nhai.gov.in) lists project details by state and corridor.

Step 2 — Draft your application clearly. State the specific information you need. Reference the NH number, kilometre range, project name, toll plaza name, or survey number as applicable. Vague applications receive vague responses. Use the sample RTI above as a template.

Step 3 — File at rtionline.gov.in. Go to rtionline.gov.in. Log in or register. Select Ministry of Road Transport and Highways as the ministry and National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) as the public authority. Paste your application text, upload any supporting documents if relevant, and proceed to payment.

Step 4 — Pay the ₹10 fee. Pay online via net banking, debit card, credit card, or UPI. BPL (Below Poverty Line) cardholders are exempt from the fee and must upload a copy of their BPL card. Note your registration number.

Step 5 — Track and follow up. You can track the status of your application at rtionline.gov.in using your registration number. The CPIO must respond within 30 days under Section 7(1) of the RTI Act, 2005. If your query involves life or liberty, the response is due within 48 hours.

What Specific Information Can You Ask For?

Highway Construction Quality

1. Contractor name, contract reference number, awarded contract value, and scheduled completion date for NH XX between km XXX and km YYY.
2. Current project completion percentage and reasons for any delay beyond the original scheduled completion date.
3. Copies of quality control test reports for the pavement layers (sub-base, base, bituminous layers) for km XXX to km YYY — specifically Benkelman Beam deflection tests and bituminous mix design records.
4. Copies of the Independent Engineer's (IE) periodic progress and quality reports for the project for the last two years.
5. Whether any non-conformance notice or show cause notice for quality defects has been issued to the contractor for km XXX to km YYY — if yes, a copy of the notice and the action taken.
6. The defect liability period applicable to the contract for the above stretch and whether any rectification has been ordered or completed by the contractor within the DLP.

Toll Disputes and Concession Transparency

7. The notified toll rate applicable at Toll Plaza Name for each vehicle category as per the latest notification under the National Highways Fee (Determination of Rates and Collection) Rules, 2008.
8. The total toll revenue collected at Toll Plaza Name for the financial years YYYY-YY — total and vehicle category-wise.
9. The concession agreement for the BOT/TOT/HAM project covering Toll Plaza Name — specifically the concession period (start date and end date) and the name of the concessionaire.
10. Whether the concession period has been extended for this corridor — if yes, the reasons, duration of extension, and the authority that approved it.
11. The schedule of toll rate revisions for Toll Plaza Name for the last three financial years — the date of each revision and the basis (WPI-linked or otherwise) under the Fee Rules.

Land Acquisition Compensation

12. The land acquisition award under the National Highways Act, 1956 / LARR Act, 2013 for Survey No. XXX, Village Name, District Name for NH XX — including the date of award, the total compensation determined, and the payment status.
13. Whether any solatium and interest (under Section 3G of the National Highways Act, 1956 or Section 30/31 of the LARR Act, 2013) was added to the compensation for the above survey number, and if so the amount.
14. Whether the compensation for Survey No. XXX has been deposited in court or directly disbursed to the landowner — and the date of disbursement.
15. Whether any reference for enhanced compensation from the above landowner is pending before the National Highways Tribunal or District Court.

Contract Transparency

16. The tender notice, bid evaluation summary, and the names and bid amounts of all bidders for the project name contract on NH XX.
17. Copies of any contract amendments, supplementary agreements, or cost variations approved for the project name contract — including the revised contract value and the authority who approved the revision.
18. The performance security (bank guarantee) furnished by the contractor for project name and whether it is valid and subsisting.
19. Any penalty or liquidated damages levied or waived for the project name contract due to time or quality defaults.

Environmental Clearances

20. The environmental clearance (EC) granted by MoEFCC for highway project name — date, conditions, and compliance status.
21. Whether any show cause notice for EC condition violation has been issued to NHAI by MoEFCC or the State Pollution Control Board — if yes, a copy of the notice and the current status.

Land Acquisition: Filing Two RTIs

Land acquisition for National Highways is a shared process between NHAI and the State Government. NHAI is the acquiring body and determines compensation; the District Collector (Land Acquisition Collector) carries out the ground-level notification, measurement, and disbursement process under state revenue machinery.

For a complete picture of your land acquisition case, file two separate RTI applications:

1. RTI to NHAI (via rtionline.gov.in → MoRTH → NHAI): For the award details, compensation amount determined, whether any enhanced compensation is due, and NHAI's disbursement records.
2. RTI to the State Revenue Department (via the State's RTI portal or physical application to the District Collector): For the Section 3A / Section 3D notification (or equivalent under state law), the measurement records, the award proceedings, and the payment voucher or DD details.

The combination of both RTIs will reveal whether a shortfall in compensation arose at the NHAI level (wrong rate applied) or at the district level (amount not disbursed), which determines the correct authority to approach for redress.

Appeals

First Appeal (Section 19(1)): If the CPIO does not respond within 30 days, or gives an unsatisfactory or incomplete response, file a First Appeal with the First Appellate Authority (FAA) at the relevant NHAI Regional Office or Headquarters within 30 days of the date of decision or expiry of the 30-day response period, whichever is applicable.

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. NHAI is a Central Government statutory body — the second appeal authority is the CIC, not any State Information Commission.

For state highway or state PWD RTIs: the second appeal goes to the State Information Commission (SIC) of the relevant state, not to the CIC.