Last Updated:March 06, 2026, 16:52 IST

The initiative will help generate employment opportunities for women, especially in rural and semi-urban regions, while strengthening their participation in infrastructure sector.

Enhancing the presence of women at the toll plazas on national highways and expressways, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) on Friday announced it has deployed more than 5,100 female staff during day shifts to manage booth operations across 1,140 plazas in the country.  More women are expected to join in the near future.

The NHAI stated that the initiative was aimed at promoting gender inclusivity and social empowerment, as well as improving service delivery at the toll plazas on National Highways.

The announcement comes two days ahead of International Women’s Day on March 8.

“The objective of exclusively deploying women staff in frontline operational roles is to significantly improve the National Highway user experience by fostering an efficient, empathetic, and user-friendly environment…," it stated, adding that the presence of women will also reduce the likelihood of disputes at the toll booths.

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).

All toll operators have unanimously agreed to deploy women staff during day shifts for user fee collection at toll plazas.

NHAI assured it will closely monitor the implementation of this initiative to ensure compliance. The initiative will help generate employment opportunities for women, especially in rural and semi-urban regions, while strengthening their participation in the infrastructure sector.

Training for Women from Rural Areas

As part of this initiative, NHAI will also facilitate specialised training for the deployed female staff, particularly those from rural areas.

“The training will focus on areas such as courteous behaviour with 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," it stated.

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.

News india Over 5,100 Women Deployed At 1,140 National Highway Toll Plazas; More To Join: NHAI

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