Rs 1.44 lakh crore collected from toll at highway plazas under public-private partnership since 2000: Government 

The government has collected a total of Rs 1.44 lakh crore in toll taxes from fee plazas operating under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model on National Highways since December 2000, Parliament was informed on November 28. 

In response to a query in the Lok Sabha, Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari explained that all user fee plazas on National Highways are set up according to the National Highways Fee (Determination of Rates and Collection) Rules, 2008, and the respective Concession Agreements. 

“An amount of Rs 1.44 lakh crore has been collected as user fees at fee plazas operating under the PPP model on National Highways since December 2000,” he said. 

In reply to another question, Gadkari stated that the government is working on implementing barrier-free tolling using the existing electronic toll collection (ETC) system, along with the FASTag facility. 

The minister clarified that the Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS)-based tolling system is not yet operational on National Highways. However, he noted that an amendment to the National Highways Fee Rules, 2008 (as of September 9, 2024) has been made to facilitate GNSS-based tolling through an On-Board Unit (OBU). Vehicles without a valid GNSS-equipped OBU will be required to pay double the user fee at the toll plaza if the GNSS tolling system becomes operational. 

Under the GNSS-based tolling system, toll charges will be calculated based on the actual distance traveled by a vehicle on a National Highway or expressway, in accordance with the NH Fee Rules, 2008 and their amendments. Currently, user fees are collected at toll plazas based on the specific project area linked to each plaza. 

(With inputs from PTI)