New Delhi-based motorists will benefit from a significant toll reduction as the government has redefined charges for highway stretches featuring costly infrastructure. Effective from 2 July, tolls on sections with bridges, tunnels, flyovers or elevated roads will be capped at five times the total distance, rather than the previous tenfold multiplier, generating savings of up to 50 percent and making long-distance travel more affordable.
Under the amended National Highways Fee Rules, 2008, the cost of traversing a structure-heavy stretch will be calculated at whichever is less: ten times the length of infrastructure plus regular road length, or five times the total section. For example, a 40 km stretch composed entirely of elevated structures is now priced on 200 km instead of 400 km—effectively halving the toll. This change reflects a broader effort by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways to balance cost recovery for advanced highway infrastructure with public affordability. Officials noted this will especially benefit sections of expressways where bridges or tunnels comprise more than half the length, such as urban bypasses and corridor-heavy routes .
Motorists on high-structure routes like the Dwarka Expressway will see immediate benefits. Toll for a typical 28.5 km car journey with 21 km elevated sections will fall from approximately ₹317 to ₹153—cutting driver costs almost in half. While this discount may mildly affect private car users with annual passes, commercial and freight operators stand to gain more specific savings. Proponents argue this reform promotes equitable travel, encouraging usage of modern, safer highways built to decongest cities and reduce overall emissions. Lower tolls may reduce detours that contribute to carbon-intensive travel, aligning with sustainable urban mobility principles and enhancing access to gender-neutral and regional connectivity.
Critics, however, caution that reduced tolls must not compromise infrastructure maintenance. Toll income financing structural upkeep may drop, making transparent reinvestment critical. A High Court directive in another context highlighted that toll collection must align with road quality .The revised policy holds implications beyond cost savings—it may accelerate usage of elevated highway segments, fostering smoother long-haul freight movement and distributed regional development. Cities connected by bridges and flyovers can expect more consistent commuter flow, potentially easing pressure on old alignments.
Still, implementation details matter. Operators must update toll collection systems swiftly, with clear communication to commuters. FASTag integration ensures both cash and digital users benefit, and non-FASTag users remain subject to existing penalties. As toll rates adapt, national infrastructure targets—like expressway expansion and digitised roadway management—gain new momentum. The reform complements upcoming innovations like GPS-based tolling and annual passes, further reducing barriers for frequent travellers .In essence, the toll revision is more than a price cut: it is a shift toward equitable, eco-conscious roadway policy. By making infrastructure-heavy routes affordable, the government bridges access gaps and promotes sustainable travel.
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