Toll Tax Rules: The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has updated the National Highway Fee Rules, 2008. This means that if a two-lane national highway (including paved side roads) is being expanded to four lanes or more, drivers won’t have to pay the full toll tax. From the start of construction until the project wraps up, travelers will only need to pay 30 percent of the set toll, which is a huge 70 percent discount.
People have frequently voiced their frustrations about having to pay full tolls even while roadwork is ongoing, leading to traffic jams, dust, and other inconveniences. To tackle this issue, the central government has made major changes to toll tax rules, significantly easing the financial load on travelers. This substantial 70 percent reduction in toll tax has provided considerable relief to millions of drivers using national highways.
When does this new rule kick in?
As per a government notification, the new rule will take effect from the start of the new year. It won’t just apply to new projects; it will also cover all existing national highways where two-lane roads are being upgraded to four lanes or more. Officials estimate that around 25,000 to 30,000 kilometers of two-lane national highways in the country are set to be upgraded to four lanes. An investment of about Rs 10 lakh crore is being allocated for these projects. The government’s goal is to boost the share of freight traffic on national highways from the current 40 percent to 80 percent.
Additionally, the new rules offer a 25% discount on toll taxes for drivers when a four-lane highway is being expanded to six or eight lanes. In these situations, drivers will only need to pay 75% of the standard toll. After the toll road’s costs have been fully recouped, they will only charge 40 percent of the toll tax. With these new changes, travelers will enjoy significant relief even during construction.