Govt declares toll-free routes, reveals pass price!

News on Toll Taxes: The government is thinking about reducing the toll tax. The Road Transport Ministry has given its approval to both ideas. This suggestion has currently been forwarded to the Ministry of Finance.

Significant Toll Tax reduction: The central government may soon offer toll tax reduction to thousands of commuters using national highways and motorways. Two plans to alleviate the toll are being examined by the Road Transport Ministry. The first suggestion is to eliminate fees on small and two-and-a-half-lane national highways. The second suggestion is a one-year permit that would allow unrestricted car travel for Rs 3,000.

Sources claim that the Road Transport Ministry has approved both of the proposals. Since the government’s toll revenue will decline following its adoption, this proposal has currently been forwarded to the Finance Ministry. Making the tiny national route toll-free is predicted to result in minimal losses, nevertheless.

Union ministers have made multiple announcements about it.

Nitin Gadkari, the Union Road Transport Minister, had previously discussed the proposal to offer private car owners the choice of yearly and lifetime tickets. The Union Minister has stated repeatedly that the administration is thinking of providing significant relief to travelers on national highways and expressways. Additionally, he stated that he would not have any complaints if the toll was lowered.

According to reports cited by the Times of India, Nitin Gadkari asked the officials to take into consideration his proposal to make two or three lanes of paved roads toll-free during the review meeting. Compared to national highways with four lanes or more, these roads have a toll that is 64% lower. Less than 50 of these toll plazas can be found nationwide, and all of them—aside from a few—are public roadways. In other words, government organizations collect the toll on these highways.

The government will make up the difference.

In addition, the money collected from these tolls is typically less than the money paid. Making these highways toll-free is not a bad idea in this case. The collection of tolls from national highways and four-lane expressways and beyond is the most significant issue. On these highways, a large number of private agencies collect tolls. If the government provides private vehicle annual passes in such a scenario, it will be required to make up the difference.

Government statistics indicate that for 2024–2025, the government received a total of Rs 61000 crore in toll revenue. About 20–21% of these are private automobiles. Heavy and commercial vehicles have accounted for the remaining 79–80% of government revenue.

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