Parliament Question: Revenue Generated through Toll Plazas

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 179 ANSWERED ON 31ST JULY, 2025 REVENUE GENERATED THROUGH TOLL PLAZAS *179. SHRI DAROGA PRASAD SAROJ: Will the Minister of ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS सड़क परिवहन औि िाजमार्ग मंत्री be pleased to state: (a) the time by which the total cost incurred in constructing the four-lane road from Budhanpur to Varanasi passing through Lalganj and Azamgarh Lok Sabha Constituencies is expected to be fully recovered through the toll plaza constructed at Amaura; (b) the number of toll plazas currently constructed in the country including the above- mentioned toll plaza and the daily revenue being earned by the Government from these toll plazas; (c) the time period after which the National Highways of the country will become toll-free based on the income earned from toll plazas; (d) the per day cost of road construction in the country at present and the percentage by which this cost is more or less than the total income earned from all toll plazas across the country; and (e) whether any kind of tax is being collected from the citizens of the country for the construction of these roads, if so, the details thereof? ANSWER THE MINISTER OF ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS (SHRI NITIN JAIRAM GADKARI) (a) to (e) A Statement is laid on the Table of the House. 1STATEMENT STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (e) OF LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 179 FOR ANSWER ON 31.07.2025 ASKED BY SHRI DAROGA PRASAD SAROJ REGARDING REVENUE GENERATED THROUGH TOLL PLAZAS. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ (a) Budhanpur to Varanasi section of NH-28 (Old NH-233) includes 2 packages viz Pkg-(II) & (III). Amora Fee Plaza falls under NH-28 Pkg-II (from Budhanpur to start of Gossai ki Bazar Bypass). Dherhi Fee Plaza falls under NH-28 Pkg-III (from start of Gossai ki Bazar Bypass to Varanasi) with total cost of Rs. 5746.97 Cr. (i.e. for Pkg-II is Rs. 3307.53Cr. and for Pkg-III is Rs. 2439.44Cr.) The Revenue generated since commencement of fee collection through Amora Fee Plaza (i.e. 13.03.2024 till 30.06.2025) is Rs. 51.12 Cr. and through Dherhi Fee Plaza (i.e. 24.01.2024 till 30.06.2025) is Rs. 22.35 Cr. i.e. a Total of Rs. 73.47 Cr. for both packages/plazas. Further, collection of user fee at fee plazas on National Highways is not related to the recovery of project development cost. User fee is collected for the use of a completed section of National Highway, in accordance with the provisions of the NH Fee Rules. As per the provision of National Highways Fee (Determination of Rates and Collection) Rules, 2008, the fee as notified as per Concession Agreement shall be leviable till the end of the concession period and after the concession period is over, the fee shall be collected by the Government or the executing authority as per the fee specified under sub-rule (2) of rule 4 of National Highway Fee Rules, 2008 on the date of transfer of such section of the National Highway, bridge, tunnel or bypass, as the case may be, to be revised annually. In respect of a public funded project, the fee leviable shall continue to be collected for such section of the National Highway, bridge, tunnel or bypass, as the case may be, to be revised annually in accordance with these rules. 2In case of Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) Projects, after the end of Concession period, the fee Plaza is handed over to Government and thereafter the user fee is collected by the Government through its implementing Agencies. The revenue collected by the Government from user fee collection is deposited in Consolidated Fund of India (CFI) and the funds provided through budgetary allocations are utilised for the development of National Highways. (b) As on June, 2025, there are a total of 1,087 fee plazas operational on National Highways. User fee being collected from these fee plazas for the Financial Year 2024-25 is Rs.168.24 Cr. per day. Details are as under:- User Fee collected User fee collected at at Public Funded Concessionaire operated Total (in Financial Fee Plaza operated Fee Plaza operated through Crore Year through NHAI (in the concessionairs (in Crore Rupees) Crore Rupees) Rupees) 2024-25 28,823.74 32,584.41 61,408.15 (c) In case of concessionaire operated fee plaza, after the end of Concession period, the fee Plaza is handed over to Government and thereafter the user fee is collected by the Government through its implementing Agencies. In respect of fee plaza under public funded project, the fee leviable shall continue to be collected for such section of the National Highway, bridge, tunnel or bypass, as the case may be, to be revised annually in accordance with these rules. The revenue collected by the Government from user fee collection is deposited in Consolidated Fund of India (CFI) and the funds provided through budgetary allocations are utilised for the development of National Highways. (d) The cost of construction of the defined highway depends on various factors such as the terrain type, site requirement, height of embankment, number of structures planned in the project, SOR of the State, lead considered for aggregates, cement, bitumen etc. 3As various factors involved to work out the cost of construction of NH, Government has introduced an interactive cost-analysis IT tool, where project inputs like terrain, embankment height, structural type, aggregate lead, traffic loading, and pavement design are used to calculate component wise normative costs. (e) Yes Sir. Road users contribute to National Highway development and upkeep primarily through (i) user fees (tolls) levied on specified NH sections opened to traffic and (ii) central cesses on petrol and high- speed diesel, the proceeds of which are credited to the statutory Central Road & Infrastructure Fund (CRIF) (earlier Central Road Fund—CRF) and are deposited in Consolidated Fund of India (CFI). These funds used, inter alia, for NH development alongwith budgetary allocation. (i) User Fee (Toll) on National Highways: User fees are levied and collected by the Government under the National Highways Fee (Determination of Rates and Collection) Rules, 2008, as amended from time to time after completion of NH stretch and same is deposited in Consolidated Fund of India (CFI). (ii) Central Road Fund (CRF) & Central Road & Infrastructure Fund (CRIF): Parliament enacted the Central Road Fund Act, 2000 to give statutory status to a dedicated fund for development and maintenance of National Highways, State roads, and safety works at rail-road crossings, financed by a cess (duty of excise/customs) on petrol and high-speed diesel. Subsequent statutory amendments renamed the Fund as the Central Road & Infrastructure Fund (CRIF) and further enabled deployment of cess proceeds across a wider basket of infrastructure sectors (transport—including rural roads & bridges, ports, inland waterways, airports, railways, urban transport—energy, water & sanitation, communication, and social/commercial infrastructure), including NH development. The Road & Infrastructure Cess component of central excise on petrol and diesel is credited to the Consolidated Fund of India; after accounting procedures, amounts are transferred to the CRIF for allocation in accordance with the Act and rules notified by the Central Government. ***** 4