Parliament Question: Toll Collection despite Dilapidated Condition of NHs

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 786 ANSWERED ON 23rd JULY, 2026 TOLL COLLECTION DESPITE DILAPIDATED CONDITION OF NHs †786. SHRI PATEL UMESHBHAI BABUBHAI: Will the Minister of ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS सड़क परिवहन औि िाजमार्ग मंत्री be pleased to state: (a) whether the Government is aware that, despite the condition of roads on several National Highways (NHs) being severely deteriorated, toll is being collected at the full prescribed rates and if so, the number of toll plazas currently operational where the quality of roads does not conform to the prescribed standards; (b) whether the Government has any provision to suspend or discontinue toll collection where the condition of the road falls below the prescribed standards, if so, the details thereof and the number of cases during the last five years in which toll collection has been suspended or discontinued and if not, the reasons therefor; (c) the total number of toll plazas in the country and the number of toll plazas where toll collection has continued even after the project cost has been recovered or the prescribed toll collection period has expired, State-wise; (d) whether the Government has conducted any independent financial audit of such projects, if so, the details and the findings thereon; and (e) the maintenance obligations of concessionaires/contractors during the toll collection period and the number of penal actions and toll contract terminations executed due to poor maintenance during the last five years and if such action has been negligible, the reasons therefor? 1ANSWER THE MINISTER OF ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS (SHRI NITIN JAIRAM GADKARI) (a) & (b) The collection of user fee commences only upon issuance of the Completion Certificate/ Provisional Completion Certificate and the safety report certifying that the concerned section of the National Highway is fit for operation. User fee at Fee Plazas on National Highways (NHs) is levied and collected only after the publication of the respective user fee notification in the Gazette of India, in accordance with the provisions of the National Highways Fee (Determination of Rates and Collection) Rules, 2008 and the terms and conditions stipulated in the respective Concession Agreements. Further, as per the provisions of the NH Fee Rules, 2008, the applicable user fee is reduced during the period of upgradation of National Highway projects, and no annual revision of the user fee is carried out until completion of the upgradation works, as under: (i) Reduction of applicable user fee to 30% on stretches where two-lane highways with paved shoulders but below four lane configuration being upgraded to four lane or more lanes configuration. (ii) Reduction of applicable user fee to 75% on stretches where upgradation of four lane highways being upgraded to six lane or above configuration. To ensure that National Highways sections remain traffic-worthy at all times, regular site inspections, periodical reviews, and site visits are carried out. In addition, periodic NSV surveys, FWD tests, drone surveys, etc. are undertaken for assessing and monitoring the condition of pavement and other Highway Assets with respect to the desired service levels specified in the respective Contract Agreements (CA). Based on the results of these surveys/ inspections, necessary repair and maintenance works, if required are carried out by the Field 2Units through the respective Contractors/ Concessionaires as per the provisions of the Contract Agreement. (c) As of June, 2026, a total of 1,235 Fee Plazas are operational on National Highways in the country. Collection of user fee at fee plazas on National Highways is not related to the recovery of project development cost. As per the provisions of National Highways Fee Rules, 2008, in case of concessionaire operated fee plaza, the fee notified as per concession agreement is collected by the concessionaire till the end of the concession period, and after the concession period is over, the fee Plaza is handed over to the Government and thereafter the fee is collected by the Central Government or the executing authority as per the fee specified under the provisions of NH Fee Rules, 2008. In respect of fee plaza under public funded project, the fee leviable shall continue to be collected for such section of the National Highway. The revenue collected by the Central Government from user fee collection is deposited in Consolidated Fund of India (CFI) and the funds provided through budgetary allocation are utilised for further maintenance, development and augmentation of National Highways. (d) The extant National Highways Fee (Determination of Rates and Collection) Rules, 2008 was formulated to ensure transparency, with a uniform methodology for calculating user fees across the country. Regular audit of user fee plazas are conducted by the Comptroller & Auditor General including user fee plazas operated by concessionaire. (e) The maintenance of National Highways is carried out as per requirement and it is ensured that no stretch of National Highways remains unattended. Further, the Concessionaire/ Contractor is responsible for the Operation and Maintenance of the National Highway during the Concession/ Contract period as per the provisions of their respective Concession/ Contract Agreement. The maintenance activities are undertaken as per 3stipulated timeline given in Schedule-K, Schedule-E, Schedule-F & Annexure-E of the Concession/ Contract Agreement in case of BOT/ HAM, EPC, ToT/ InVIT & PBMC Projects respectively. In cases of failure to repair or rectify any defect or deficiency within the stipulated period, action is taken against the defaulting Concessionaire/Contractor, on a case-to-case basis, in accordance with the provisions of the respective Concession/Contract Agreement. The details of the penal actions and toll contract terminations executed due to poor maintenance during the last five years are at Annexure. 4ANNEXURE ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (e) OF LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 786 FOR ANSWER ON 23RD JULY, 2026 ASKED BY SHRI PATEL UMESHBHAI BABUBHAI REGARDING TOLL COLLECTION DESPITE DILAPIDATED CONDITION OF NHs. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Details of the penal actions and toll contract terminations executed due to poor maintenance during the last five years: Name of Project/ Concessionaire/ Penalty (Rs. in Lakh) Fee Plaza Contractor M/s Ganeshgaria 3.44 Construction Pvt. Ltd. M/s Ganeshgaria 1.00 Construction Pvt. Ltd. Newli at Km.54+100 on NH-752B M/s Banco 1.00 Construction Pvt. Ltd. M/s Banco 14.70 Construction Pvt. Ltd. Joharia Shaikh at M/s Vanshika 1.00 Km.165+350 on NH-146 Construction 8 Lane Mukarba Chowk M/s NXT-INFRA MCP to Panipat Section from Highways Private 176.55 Ch 15+500 to 86+000 Limited Tolling rights of the concessionaire was Palanpur-Radhanpur- suspended for Bhildi Samakhiyali section of M/s PRS Tolls Limited Fee plaza from NH-27 (TOT Bundle- 5A1) 23.06.2026 to 14.07.2026 Palanpur -Radhanpur- Tolling rights of the M/s DP Jain TOT Toll Samakhiyali section of concessionaire was 5NH-27 (TOT Bundle- 5A2) Roads Private Limited suspended for Varahi and Bhalgam Fee plazas from 22.06.2026 to 16.07.2026. BOT project was terminated including Jetpur- Gondal- Rajkot M/s WGEL tolling rights at Bharudi BOT project and Pithadiya Toll plazas on 31.03.2022 ***** 6