In a move set to benefit millions of daily commuters and transporters, the central government is preparing to implement a major change in toll collection rules. Roads with more than 50 percent of their length comprising elevated structures, tunnels, or underpasses will now see a 50 percent reduction in toll charges.
Currently, toll charges on such roads are ten times higher than regular highway stretches, mainly to recover the massive construction costs. But as cities expand and commuting becomes more frequent, this high cost has become an added burden on daily travellers, especially on newer highways like the Dwarka Expressway.
The revised policy proposes a cap on toll rates to five times the standard highway toll for structure-heavy routes. This change could lead to significant savings. For example:
This will greatly benefit office-goers, intercity travellers, and regular highway usersespecially those relying on ring roads and bypasses for their daily commute.
Commercial and heavy vehicle operators, who are charged even higher tollsstand to gain considerably. With a 50 percent toll reduction:
The new toll rule is expected to be notified soon and reflects a balanced approach between infrastructure cost recovery and commuter convenience. It also aligns with the government’s long-term vision of making high-speed travel more affordableparticularly on capital-intensive corridors.
As India continues to develop world-class highwayspolicies like these ensure that infrastructure growth does not come at the expense of the average commuter’s wallet.
