National Highways Toll Update: Charges Cut on Partially Open Expressways, Now Equal to NH Toll Rates

National Highways Toll Update: In a major relief for commuters and daily motorists, the central government has slashed National Highways toll charges on partially open expressways from Sunday, February 15. With this, commuters will have to pay tolls for partially open e-ways like Delhi-Mumbai, Delhi-Katra, Amritsar-Jamnagar, etc, similar to that of other NHs.

As per a notification issued by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, motorists and commuters will have to pay lower tolls on partially open expressways and other stretches. Here are all the details about the new NH toll update.

What is The New NH Toll Update?

From 15 February onwards, the central government will charge lower tolls on partially open expressways.

The revised rule applies only where a National Expressway is not yet open along its full length. On these corridors, toll will now be collected only for the completed part, and that too at the lower rate used for National Highways, instead of the usual expressway premium. Toll on expressways is around 1.25 times higher than other NH stretches, according to a Times of India report.

Authorities justify this higher fee because such access-controlled roads offer faster, smoother and more comfortable journeys. The extra charge currently applies even when an expressway is not fully open from end to end.

"For users of National Expressways that are only partially operational, the Government of India has notified an amendment to the National Highways Fee (Determination of Rates and Collection) Rules, 2008," the MoRTH said in a statement.

National Highway Toll Charges Impact

The new National Highway toll charge update for partially completed expressways is likely to promote the use of the opened stretches and will also help in decongesting the existing National Highway routes parallel to the Expressways. This will "enabe faster movement of logistics and passengers as well as reduction in pollution due to traffic congestion on old National Highways," read a notice issued by MoRTH.

The relaxation on National Highways toll charges is not permanent. The government has said this lower-toll arrangement will stay in force for up to one year from the date the amendment takes effect, or until the concerned expressway becomes fully operational, whichever happens earlier, after which normal expressway rates can return.

Road type	Operational status	Toll rule before February 15	Toll rule from February 15
National Expressway	Fully operational	25% higher than National Highway rate	25% higher than National Highway rate
National Expressway	Partially operational	25% higher than National Highway rate on completed stretch	Same as National Highway rate on completed stretch

The change matters for commuters, long-distance passengers and freight operators who face frequent diversions on still-under-construction expressways. Lower National Highways toll charges on these links are expected to nudge more users towards new corridors, while the government continues to expand the wider National Highway and expressway network.