What was asked
The Lok Sabha asked the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways for the number of complaints by commuters against toll plazas on National Highways in the last three years, state by state, “particularly on staff misbehaviour, physical assault and long waiting times”, and for the show-cause notices, penalties and contract terminations against toll operators in the same period.
The answer’s table lists 20 states and union territories. Added up, they show 91,000 complaints, of which 90,853 are resolved and 149 pending. The table prints no total.
One number for three kinds of complaint
The question named three kinds of complaint. The table gives a single figure for each state that covers staff behaviour, physical assault and excessive waiting time together, and a single figure for all three years. From this answer a reader cannot tell how many complaints were of assault, or whether complaints rose or fell.
Delhi alone accounts for 19,461, 21.4% of the total, more than one in five, and more than Gujarat (11,026), the next. With Gujarat, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh, four rows make up more than half, 52.8%. The answer does not say how a complaint is assigned to a state.
Source: Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, answer to Lok Sabha Unstarred Question 807, 23 July 2026, Annexure A. Maharashtra and Haryana have no row.
What the answer does not give
The table has no row for Maharashtra or Haryana. The same ministry’s answer to Lok Sabha Unstarred Question 1853, a week later on 30 July 2026, refers to fee plazas on National Highways in Maharashtra and names one in Haryana. The answer does not say whether those states had no complaints or were left out.
The action taken is given as three national numbers for the three years: 146 show-cause notices to tolling contractors, penalties of Rs 5.53 crore and 3 contracts terminated. They are not given by state or by year, and the answer does not say how many followed a commuter’s complaint. For scale, the ministry told the Lok Sabha in Unstarred Question 786 that 1,235 fee plazas were operating on National Highways as of June 2026.
Adds up
In 19 of the 20 rows, complaints equal resolved plus pending. Punjab does not: it shows 4,532 complaints, but 4,506 resolved and 28 pending, which make 4,534. Across the table, resolved and pending therefore come to 91,002, 2 more than the complaints. The answer does not say why.
Got it right
On the answer’s figures, 99.8% of complaints have been resolved. 9 of the 20 states and union territories have none pending, Rajasthan the largest of them with 8,837 complaints all resolved; the most pending in any row is 38, in Delhi. The answer also says which channels the complaints came through, and explains that user fee is collected only after a completion certificate, a safety report and a fee notification in the Gazette, and is reduced while a highway is being widened.
Every state and union territory
| State / UT | Complaints | Resolved | Pending | Resolved + pending | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Delhi | 19,461 | 19,423 | 38 | 19,461 | 21.4% |
| Gujarat | 11,026 | 11,006 | 20 | 11,026 | 12.1% |
| Rajasthan | 8,837 | 8,837 | 0 | 8,837 | 9.7% |
| Uttar Pradesh | 8,697 | 8,691 | 6 | 8,697 | 9.6% |
| Karnataka | 4,884 | 4,879 | 5 | 4,884 | 5.4% |
| Punjab | 4,532 | 4,506 | 28 | 4,534 | 5.0% |
| Bihar | 4,424 | 4,402 | 22 | 4,424 | 4.9% |
| Kerala | 3,630 | 3,630 | 0 | 3,630 | 4.0% |
| Madhya Pradesh | 3,596 | 3,589 | 7 | 3,596 | 4.0% |
| Assam | 3,587 | 3,587 | 0 | 3,587 | 3.9% |
| Andhra Pradesh | 3,389 | 3,389 | 0 | 3,389 | 3.7% |
| Tamil Nadu | 2,811 | 2,804 | 7 | 2,811 | 3.1% |
| Odisha | 2,647 | 2,637 | 10 | 2,647 | 2.9% |
| Telangana | 1,764 | 1,763 | 1 | 1,764 | 1.9% |
| Chhatisgarh | 1,608 | 1,608 | 0 | 1,608 | 1.8% |
| Jammu & Kashmir | 1,597 | 1,597 | 0 | 1,597 | 1.8% |
| West Bengal | 1,536 | 1,531 | 5 | 1,536 | 1.7% |
| Jharkhand | 1,100 | 1,100 | 0 | 1,100 | 1.2% |
| Uttarakhand | 966 | 966 | 0 | 966 | 1.1% |
| Himachal Pradesh | 908 | 908 | 0 | 908 | 1.0% |
| Sum of rows (no printed total) | 91,000 | 90,853 | 149 | 91,002 | 100.0% |
How we did this
- Source: the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways’ answer to Lok Sabha Unstarred Question 807, answered on 23 July 2026, Annexure A (complaints by State/UT) and Annexure B (action against tolling contractors).
- Adds up: the table prints no total, so the totals here are the sums of its rows. Complaints equal resolved plus pending in every row but Punjab’s, which is out by two.
- Later answers: Lok Sabha Unstarred Question 1853 (30 July 2026) on fee plazas in Maharashtra, and Lok Sabha Unstarred Question 786 (23 July 2026) for the number of fee plazas operating. No later answer gives complaints by type or by year.
- Download the data: toll-plaza-complaints-by-state-2026-07-23.csv. Our method and labels are on the Data Audit method page.
Questions
What do the complaints cover?
Complaints about staff behaviour, physical assault and excessive waiting time at fee plazas on National Highways, received through the 1033 helpline, PG, the Rajmarg Yatra app, email, in writing and other routes, according to the answer. The figures are for the last three years, combined.
How many complaints were about assault?
The answer does not say. The question asked for complaints state-wise, particularly on staff misbehaviour, physical assault and long waiting times. The table gives one number for each state covering all three kinds together.
Why are Maharashtra and Haryana not in the table?
The answer does not say. Its table lists 20 states and union territories. The ministry's answer to Lok Sabha Unstarred Question 1853 a week later refers to fee plazas on National Highways in Maharashtra and names one in Haryana. Whether those states had no complaints or were left out, the answer does not say.
What action was taken against toll operators?
In the last three years, 146 show-cause notices were issued to tolling contractors, penalties of Rs 5.53 crore were imposed and 3 contracts were terminated for violations, the answer says. It does not give these by state, by year or by type of violation.
Where does the data come from?
From the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways' answer to Lok Sabha Unstarred Question 807, answered on 23 July 2026, Annexures A and B.
Corrections
No corrections so far. If any figure here is wrong, send the correcting document to editor@oquilia.com and we will correct it and record the change on this page.