Executive Summary:
This document is the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways' response to Lok Sabha Starred Question No. 62, answered on July 24, 2025, regarding toll collection practices on National Highways. It clarifies the rules governing user fee collection, even after concession periods, and addresses concerns about overcharging. It also details provisions for discounts and a new Annual Pass for non-commercial vehicles, effective August 15, 2025.
Key Points / Main Content:
* **Toll Collection Rationale:**
* User fee collection on National Highways is not directly linked to project development cost recovery.
* Fees are collected for using completed sections of National Highways, as per NH Fee Rules.
* **Post-Concession Toll Collection:**
* After the concession period, the government or executing authority collects the fee.
* Fees are determined according to National Highway Fee Rules, 2008, and revised annually.
* Revenue is deposited in the Consolidated Fund of India (CFI) and used for National Highway development.
* For public funded projects, user fee collection continues perpetually, subject to annual revision.
* **Oversight and Audits:**
* User fee plazas operate according to Gazette of India notifications and Concession Agreements.
* Independent audits are conducted to review fee collection records.
* **Discounts and Relief Measures:**
* Provisions exist for user fee discounts and monthly passes for local/regular users.
* Two-wheelers, three-wheelers, tractors, and animal-drawn vehicles are exempt where no service road is available.
* An Annual Pass for non-commercial cars, jeeps, and vans is available from August 15, 2025, costing ₹3,000.00, valid for one year or 200 crossings, whichever is earlier, requires a valid and functional Fastag.
* **Toll Plaza Statistics:**
* As of June 2025, there are 1,087 operational fee plazas on National Highways across various states/UTs.
* Tamil Nadu has 72 operational fee plazas.
Impact Analysis:
* **Daily Commuters and Small Traders:**
* *Impact:* Benefit from existing discounts, monthly passes, and the new Annual Pass.
* *Action Required:* Explore available discount options and consider purchasing the Annual Pass for non-commercial vehicles after August 15, 2025. Ensure they have a valid and functional Fastag to avail of the pass.
* **Local and Regular Users of National Highways:**
* *Impact:* Continued access to discounts and monthly passes as per NH Fee Rules, 2008.
* *Action Required:* Stay informed about available discount schemes and ensure compliance with eligibility criteria.
* **Government and Executing Authorities:**
* *Impact:* Responsible for collecting user fees after concession periods and ensuring adherence to regulations.
* *Action Required:* Implement fee collection as per established rules, conduct independent audits, and manage revenue deposited in the CFI.
* **Concessionaires:**
* *Impact:* Accountable for fee collection during the concession period and subject to audits.
* *Action Required:* Ensure compliance with user fee notifications, Concession Agreements, and cooperate with independent audits.
Key Entities Referenced
Ministry of Road Transport and Highways: The Indian government ministry responsible for the development and maintenance of national highways and transport infrastructure.
Lok Sabha: The lower house of the Parliament of India, where the starred question regarding toll collection was raised.
SMT. Kanimozhi Karunanidhi: The Member of Parliament who raised the starred question No. 62 in Lok Sabha regarding toll collection practices.
Shri Nitin Jairam Gadkari: The Minister of Road Transport and Highways who answered the starred question in Lok Sabha.
National Highways: A network of highways connecting major cities and towns across the country, maintained by the central government.
National Highways Fee Determination of Rates and Collection Rules, 2008: The rules governing the determination of toll rates and collection procedures on national highways in India.
Tamil Nadu: A state in southern India where concerns about toll collection beyond the concession period were raised.
Consolidated Fund of India (CFI): The fund to which all revenues received by the Government of India are credited.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS
LOK SABHA
STARRED QUESTION NO. 62
ANSWERED ON 24TH JULY, 2025
TOLL COLLECTION BEYOND CONCESSION PERIOD
*62. SMT. KANIMOZHI KARUNANIDHI:
Will the Minister of ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS
सड़क परिवहन औि िाजमार्ग मंत्री
be pleased to state:
(a) the number of toll plazas operating on National Highways and
Expressways, State/UT-wise especially in Tamil Nadu;
(b) whether the Government is aware of growing public discontent in
Tamil Nadu and other States regarding toll plazas that continue to
collect toll even after the end of the concession agreement period and if
so, the details thereof, State/UT-wise;
(c) the number of such toll plazas currently operating in Tamil Nadu and
the reasons for continued toll collection beyond the agreement period;
(d) whether the Government has taken steps to audit these toll plazas
and hold concessionaires accountable for overcharging the public and if
so, the details thereof; and
(e) whether the Government has reviewed the burden of toll charges on
daily commuters and small traders in Tamil Nadu and considered
providing any relief and 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. 62 FOR ANSWER ON 24.07.2025 ASKED
BY SMT. KANIMOZHI KARUNANIDHI REGARDING TOLL COLLECTION
BEYOND CONCESSION PERIOD.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(a) The state-wise number of fee plazas operational on National
Highways & National Expressways is at Annexure.
(b) 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 in perpetuity 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.
In case of 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.
2(c) to (d) All user fee plazas on National Highways are strictly being
operated 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. For reviewing the fee collection records and
ensuring collection of fees as per provision of NH Fee Rule/ Concession
Agreement, independent audits are conducted.
(e) There are 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. In addition, 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.
Further, the Government has introduced a provision for an Annual Pass in
the National Highway Fee Rules, 2008, for non-commercial cars, jeeps,
and vans, effective from 15th August 2025, across the country. According
to this provision, a person owning a mechanical vehicle for non-
commercial purpose, having a valid and functional Fastag, shall be
eligible to obtain a pass on payment of fee of rupees three thousand
which shall be valid for one year or for two hundred crossings through
any fee plaza on a national highway, whichever is earlier.
3ANNEXURE
ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (a) OF LOK SABHA
STARRED QUESTION NO. 62 FOR ANSWER ON 24.07.2025 ASKED BY
SMT. KANIMOZHI KARUNANIDHI REGARDING TOLL COLLECTION
BEYOND CONCESSION PERIOD.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The State/UT-wise details of user fee plazas operational on National
Highways:
No. of operational fee
Name of the the State/UT
plazas as on June, 2025
Andhra Pradesh (RO Vijaywada) 74
Assam (RO Guwahati) 10
Bihar (RO Patna) 41
Chhatisgarh (RO Raipur) 23
Gujarat (RO Gandhinagar) 62
Haryana (RO Chandigarh & RO Delhi) 75
Himachal Pradesh (RO Shimla) 06
Jammu & Kashmir (RO Jammu) 06
Jharkhand (RO Ranchi) 19
Karnataka (RO Bangalore) 62
Kerala (RO Thiruvanantpuram) 08
Madhya Pradesh (RO Bhopal & RO Jabalpur) 93
Maharashtra (RO Mumbai & RO Nagpur) 94
Meghalaya (RO Guwahati) 04
Odisha (RO Bhubneshwar) 31
Punjab (RO Chandigarh) 40
Rajasthan (RO Jaipur & RO Delhi) 162
Tamil Nadu (RO Chennai & RO Madurai) 72
4Telangana (RO Hyderabad) 36
Uttar Pradesh (RO UP East-Varanasi & RO
125
UP West-Lucknow, RO Delhi)
Uttrakhand (RO Dehradoon) 12
West Bengal (RO Kolkata) 32
Total 1,087
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