New Delhi, 5 July 2025:
Toll pricing on India's national highways has undergone a significant reform thanks to the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways. The government has slashed toll rates by up to 50% on sections where bridges, tunnels, flyovers, or elevated corridors make up more than half of the total length in an effort to lessen the financial burden on commuters.
The new notification, which was released on July 2, states that a simplified formula will now be used to determine toll charges on such stretches. Toll operators are required to apply the rate for either five times the entire highway stretch or ten times the length of the structure plus the remaining road, whichever is less. In situations where elevated infrastructure predominates in the highway design, tolls, which were previously capped at ten times the base rate, will now be cut in half. According to transportation officials, the goal of the updated toll formula is to increase public accessibility to heavily engineered routes, particularly those in urban areas.
In order to reduce traffic, we are building more elevated corridors; however, high tolls deter people from using them. "The modification guarantees equity for drivers," a senior ministry official stated.
The Dwarka Expressway in Delhi provides a real world illustration. A one way car trip on the 28.5 kilometre route, of which 21 kilometre stretch is elevated, used to cost almost ₹317. This toll could decrease to about ₹153 under the new system, which would be a huge relief to both daily commuters and transportation operators. Highway users and logistics companies have praised the move. "This decision improves the affordability of long routes built with significant structural investment and relieves pressure on freight carriers," a spokesperson for a transport association said.
The policy is in line with the government's larger toll collection reforms, which include the implementation of annual passes based on FASTags and the impending deployment of satellite based tolling systems. These modifications are a part of a broader initiative to encourage the use of recently constructed infrastructure while rationalising road user fees.
The ministry attested that toll plazas that meet the new requirements are already implementing the lower rates. Millions of car owners are anticipated to gain from the revision, particularly those who travel through India's urban corridors and structure heavy highways.
