‘Deficiency in service’: Consumer panel orders NHAI to compensate motorist over pothole damage

A Nagpur consumer commission has ruled that collecting toll without maintaining roads is a ‘deficiency in service’. The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) was ordered to compensate a motorist whose car was damaged by a pothole. The commission emphasized that providing safe roads is a toll collector’s responsibility, and vehicle damage due to poor road conditions warrants compensation for repair costs, distress, and legal expenses.