New Delhi: Following the introduction of the Annual Toll Pass for private vehicles, the Ministry of Road Transport has rolled out a new rule aimed at reducing toll rates by up to 50% for elevated sections, including bridges, tunnels, flyovers, and other similar structures on national highways (NHs). This move is expected to provide significant relief to commercial and heavy vehicles, especially on tolled stretches featuring a higher number of such structures.
Previously, toll charges for structures like bridges or tunnels on NHs and expressways under the central government were set at 10 times the normal user fee. However, the recent amendments to the NH Toll Fee Rules, notified on June 1, offer a more rationalized approach to toll calculation, introducing two methodologies. The lower of the two methods will be applied to determine the toll.
Under the new formula, the toll charge for a section of NH containing structures will be calculated as follows:
Method 1: Multiply the length of the structure(s) by 10, then add it to the length of the non-structure (normal road) section.
Method 2: Multiply the total length of the entire tolled section by 5.
The method that results in the lower toll will apply.
For example:
If a 40 km tolled section includes 30 km of structure and 10 km of normal road, the toll calculation would be:
10×30 + 10 = 310 km (Method 1)
5×40 = 200 km (Method 2)
The toll will be charged for 200 km, as it is the lower amount.
In contrast, if the 40 km stretch consists of 10 km of structures and 30 km of normal road, the toll calculation would be:
10×10 + 30 = 130 km (Method 1)
5×40 = 200 km (Method 2)
The toll will be charged for 130 km, which is in line with current practice.
Additionally, for sections where the entire tolled corridor is made up of structures, the toll charge will be halved, reducing it by 50%.
This updated toll structure will provide a considerable reduction in costs, particularly for highways with extensive elevated sections.
