Government Slashes Toll Rates by Up to 50% on National Highways with Structures
Significant Toll Reductions Announced
New Delhi: In a recent announcement, the government has implemented a reduction in toll fees by as much as 50% for sections of National Highways that feature structures such as tunnels, bridges, and elevated roads, aiming to ease travel expenses for drivers.
The toll charges at fee plazas on National Highways are governed by the NH Fee Rules established in 2008. The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has revised these rules, introducing a new formula for determining toll rates.
According to the notification issued on July 2, 2025, the toll fee for using a section of a national highway that includes structures will be calculated by adding ten times the length of the structures to the length of the highway section, excluding the structures, or five times the total length of the highway section, whichever is lower.
The term 'structure' refers to independent bridges, tunnels, flyovers, or elevated highways.
To clarify the new toll calculation, the ministry provided examples.
For instance, if a section of a national highway measures 40 kilometers in total length and consists solely of structures, the minimum length would be calculated as follows: '10 x 40 (ten times the length of the structure) = 400 kilometers or five times the total length of the section = 5 x 40 = 200 kilometers.'
Thus, the user fee will be based on the lesser length, which is 200 kilometers, meaning the toll is only charged for half (50%) of the road length.
Under the previous regulations, users were required to pay ten times the standard toll for each kilometer of structure on national highways.
A senior official from the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) noted that the former toll calculation method was designed to compensate for the higher construction costs associated with such infrastructure.
The updated notification from the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways now reduces toll rates for segments like flyovers, underpasses, and tunnels by up to 50%, according to the official.