HIGHWAY RELIEF: India Cuts Toll Charges by 50% for Bridges, Tunnels & Flyovers | New Calculation Rules
In a significant move for commuters, India’s Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) has slashed highway toll rates by up to 50% for sections containing major infrastructure like tunnels, bridges, flyovers, and elevated corridors. The revised rates took effect through a July 2nd notification.
MoRTH amended the National Highways Fee (Determination of Rates and Collection) Rules, 2008, introducing a new formula to calculate tolls on these structural sections. Under the updated system, tolls will be based on the lower of two values:
- Ten times the length of the structure(s) plus the remaining highway length
- Five times the total length of the highway section (including structures)
The ministry clarified that “structure” refers specifically to independent bridges, tunnels, flyovers, or elevated highways.
To illustrate the change, MoRTH provided an example: For a 40-km highway section composed entirely of such structures:
- Old system: Toll charged for 400 km (10 x 40 km)
- New system: Toll charged for 200 km (5 x 40 km) – effectively halving the cost.
Previously, users paid rates ten times higher per km for these sections due to elevated construction and maintenance costs.
A senior National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) official confirmed the revision, stating: “This move is designed to rationalise toll collection and provide relief to road users while maintaining a balance between infrastructure cost recovery and affordability.”