The government has given great relief to the common people on toll. In fact, major changes have been made in the toll rules. The central government has changed the toll collection rules for the National Expressway, saying that now, passengers will not be charged the full toll if the expressway is not fully operational. They will be charged rates applicable on National Highways only for completed stretches. Let us also tell you what kind of changes have been made by the government regarding toll rules.
new toll provisions
The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways said in a statement that for the users of partially operational National Expressways, the Government of India has notified amendments to the National Highway Fee (Rate Determination and Collection) Rules, 2008. Previously, tolls were charged for the entire length of the expressway, even though large sections were still under construction. Passengers had to pay the full fare, even if only a portion of the expressway was usable. According to the new rules, toll will be charged only for the operational stretches.
Existing toll structure on the expressway
At present, the toll on the National Expressway is 25 per cent higher than that on the standard National Highway. Even if a section is incomplete, passengers have to pay the full fare for the ongoing section. The ministry said that under the new rule, when a National Expressway is not completely open, toll will be charged at a lower rate for the entire length. The purpose of this change is to encourage passengers to use the operational stretches of the National Expressway. According to the ministry, this will help in reducing congestion on the existing National Highway parallel to the expressway and will speed up the movement of both passengers and goods. This is also expected to reduce pollution caused by traffic jams on old highways.
Rules will be effective from February 15
The amended rules named National Highway Fee (Rate Determination and Collection) (Amendment) Rules, 2026 will come into effect from February 15, 2026. These provisions will remain in force for one year or until the expressway is fully operational, whichever is earlier. This move is expected to benefit private vehicle drivers as well as truck and bus operators. Reduction in toll fees can reduce transportation expenses.