**Executive Summary**
This document is the answer to an unstarred question in Lok Sabha regarding the removal of the Manawala Toll Plaza on National Highway 3, answered on February 12th, 2026. It clarifies the legality of the toll plaza's establishment, ongoing maintenance efforts on the highway, and the government's current position on its removal. While removal is not under consideration, relief measures such as discounts and FASTag-based annual passes are available, with the FASTag pass effective from August 15th, 2025.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Toll Plaza Establishment and Legality:**
* All user fee plazas, including the Manawala (Nijjarpura) Fee Plaza, are established as per the user fee notification in the Gazette of India, in accordance with the National Highways Fee Rules, 2008, and the Concession Agreement.
* User fees are collected for using the section of National Highway, as per the NH Fee Rules.
* **Highway Maintenance:**
* The NH-03 section from Amritsar to Beas is maintained by an Operation & Maintenance (O&M) Contractor.
* Routine maintenance is conducted regularly.
* Independent Engineer/Authority Engineer (IE/AE) conducts site inspections.
* The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has processed the Performance-Based Maintenance Contract (PBMC) for the Amritsar-Beas section.
* **Relief Measures and Exemptions:**
* Provisions exist for discounts in user fees and monthly passes for local and regular users.
* No fee is levied for two-wheelers, three-wheelers, tractors, and animal-drawn vehicles where no service road is available.
* FASTag-based Annual Pass introduced for non-commercial cars, jeeps, and vans, costing Rs. 3000/- and allowing travel for one year or up to 200 fee plaza crossings. Effective from August 15th, 2025.
* **Toll Plaza Removal:**
* No proposal for the removal or closure of the Manawala (Nijjarpura) Fee Plaza is under consideration.
* The fee plaza was established as per the user fee notification published in the Gazette of India.
**Impact Analysis**
**Pilgrims and Devotees Visiting Golden Temple**
* **Impact:** Pilgrims will still be required to pay toll tax at the Manawala Toll Plaza.
* **Action Required:** Pilgrims can explore available discounts and the FASTag-based Annual Pass for potential cost savings, starting August 15th, 2025.
**Local and Regular Users of NH-03**
* **Impact:** Continued toll tax payments at the Manawala Toll Plaza.
* **Action Required:** Explore available discounts and monthly passes to reduce toll costs.
**Owners of Non-Commercial Cars, Jeeps, and Vans**
* **Impact:** Potential cost savings with the FASTag-based Annual Pass.
* **Action Required:** Can purchase the FASTag-based Annual Pass (Rs. 3000/-) from August 15th, 2025.
**National Highways Authority of India (NHAI)**
* **Impact:** Continued responsibility for highway maintenance and implementation of user fee rules.
* **Action Required:** Continue implementing the Performance-Based Maintenance Contract (PBMC) for the Amritsar-Beas section, monitor and manage discounts, and implement the FASTag based annual pass from August 15th, 2025.
Key Entities Referenced
National Highways Fee (Determination of Rates and Collection) Rules, 2008: Rules governing the determination of rates and collection of fees on national highways, referenced in the context of establishing user fee plazas.
National Highway (NH 3): The specific highway between Amritsar and Beas where toll tax is collected at the Manawala Toll Plaza.
Manawala Toll Plaza: The toll plaza being questioned for its location and impact on pilgrims to the Golden Temple.
National Highways Authority of India (NHAI): The agency responsible for processing the Performance-Based Maintenance Contract for the Amritsar-Beas section of National Highway NH-03.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2260
ANSWERED ON 12TH FEBRUARY, 2026
REMOVAL OF MANAWALA TOLL PLAZA
†2260. SHRI SUKHJINDER SINGH RANDHAWA:
Will the Minister of ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS
सड़क परिवहन औि िाजमार्ग मंत्री
be pleased to state:
(a) whether it is a fact that despite the extremely poor condition of
National Highway (NH 3) from Amritsar to Beas, toll tax is being
collected at Manawala Toll Plaza which is located 3–4 kilometres from
the municipal limits and approximately 17–20 kilometres from Sri
Harmandir Sahib (Golden Temple) causing unnecessary financial burden
on pilgrims while in many other religious places in the country tolls are
not collected up to 25 kilometres and if so, the details thereof;
(b) whether the Government has any proposal to remove or shift the
Manawala Toll Plaza so that pilgrims and other devotees from across the
world coming to Golden Temple are not subjected to direct or indirect
additional taxation; and
(c) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?
ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS
(SHRI NITIN JAIRAM GADKARI)
(a) All user fee plazas including Manawala (Nijjarpura) Fee Plaza on
National Highway (NH-3) have been established as per the respective
user fee notification published in the Gazette of India, in accordance
with the provisions of the National Highways Fee (Determination of
Rates and Collection) Rules, 2008, and the Concession Agreement. User-
1fee at a fee plaza is collected for the use of section of National Highway
as per the provisions of NH Fee Rules.
The National Highway NH-03 section from Amritsar to Beas is maintained
by the existing Operation & Maintenance (O&M) Contractor, and routine
maintenance works are carried out regularly to keep the road in traffic-
worthy condition. For monitoring, Independent Engineer/Authority
Engineer (IE/ AE) conducts regular site inspections and competent
authority conducts periodical reviews/ site visits. Further, National
Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has already processed the
Performance-Based Maintenance Contract (PBMC) for Amritsar-Beas
section for carrying out overlay works using bituminous materials on the
project stretch.
For providing relief, there are already various provisions for discounts in
user fees and monthly passes for local and regular users of National
Highways across the country, in accordance with the NH Fee Rules,
2008. Further, no fee is levied for the use of the section of national
highway, permanent bridge, bypass or tunnel, as the case may be, by two
wheelers, three wheelers, tractors and animal drawn vehicles provided
no service road is available.
In addition, the Government has introduced a FASTag based Annual Pass
for non-commercial cars, jeeps, and vans, which has come into effect
from 15th August, 2025. Annual Pass scheme will be activated on
payment of Rs. 3000/- and offers travel for non-commercial car/jeep/vans
at all National Highway/National Expressway fee plazas for one year or
up to 200 fee plaza crossings whichever is earlier.
(b) & (c) No such proposal for the removal or closure of the Manawala
(Nijjarpura) Fee Plaza is under consideration with the Government. The
said fee plaza has been established on National Highways as per the
user fee notification published in the Gazette of India, in accordance
with the NH Fee Rules.
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