In a move poised to significantly ease the financial burden on commercial vehicle operators and frequent commuters, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has announced a reduction of up to 50% in toll rates for elevated sections of National Highways (NHs). This revised toll policy specifically targets sections of national highways that include significant structural components such as bridges, tunnels, flyovers, and elevated corridors.

The decision addresses the existing toll structure where structured portions of national highways are charged at significantly higher rates, often up to 10 times the normal toll, to recover the construction costs. The new rule aims to strike a balance between recovering infrastructure costs and ensuring affordable commuting, particularly on capital-intensive corridors.

Under the new mechanism, the user fee for sections of National Highways that include structures will be calculated using a revised formula. While the exact details of the formula were not specified, the resulting toll will be substantially lower for commercial vehicles. For example, on the Delhi-Dehradun Expressway, commercial vehicles will pay up to 50% less toll for the elevated sections. Similar reductions are expected on other key elevated structures like the Nashik Phata-Khed stretch and the Danapur-Bihta route. The 28.5 km Dwarka Expressway, which includes 21 km of elevated structures, is also expected to provide significant relief to commuters under the new rule.

The implementation of the new toll rates will vary depending on the type of toll plaza. For existing public-funded toll plazas, the new rule will take effect from the date of the next scheduled user fee revision. New toll plazas will implement the rule from their commencement date. For concessionaire-operated fee plazas, the revised rates will apply upon the expiry of existing concession agreements.

This move is expected to have a cascading effect on the transportation sector. With reduced toll expenses, transport costs are likely to decrease, which could improve logistics efficiency. Ultimately, this could stabilize overall market prices for goods due to lower delivery charges.

While commercial vehicles are expected to be the primary beneficiaries of this policy change, private vehicle owners may also see some relief. The government is also considering introducing monthly and yearly toll passes for private vehicles, which could further reduce costs for frequent users of national highways. Furthermore, the implementation of a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) for toll collection is also underway, which will calculate fees based on actual road usage and eliminate the need for physical toll plazas.

The reduction in toll rates for elevated sections of national highways represents a significant step towards making high-speed travel more affordable and efficient in India. By easing the financial burden on commercial vehicle operators and commuters, this policy is expected to have a positive impact on the transportation sector and the overall economy.