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Expressway Tolls to Match National Highways Until Projects Are Fully Ready
Toll: In a significant relief to highway travelers, tolls will soon be waived on two-lane to four-lane stretches during construction, and user fees will also be waived on partially open expressways.
There is, however, some positive news for those traveling on highways. As reported by the media, tolls on highways that are being expanded from two lanes to four lanes will soon be reduced by half. Moreover, tolls on partially functional expressways, such as the Delhi-Mumbai and Amritsar-Jamnagar expressways, will be the same as those on other national highways. Until now, expressway tolls were 1.25 times higher than regular national highways.
According to the report, sources say that both proposals from the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways have received approval from the Ministry of Finance. The ministry had argued that when a 10-meter-wide two-lane road is converted to four lanes, the toll will be halved. The construction then reduces the available road width, preventing full access for travelers. Therefore, charging the full toll is not justified.
At present, with the development of a two-lane road to four lanes, a mere 60 percent of the original national highway toll needs to be paid by travelers. However, now, with the approval of the Finance Ministry, this has been scaled down to just 30 percent. It has also been clarified that any delay on road projects will result in severe punishment to the contractors, with strict monitoring required.
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According to the report, the Finance Ministry has also decided that for expressways that are not yet fully operational, toll rates will remain the same as regular national highways for one year or until the project is completed, whichever is earlier. The Ministry believes that due to the high tolls, heavy commercial vehicles in particular are not using these expressways, resulting in lower traffic than expected.
The government has indicated that a decision on extending this toll exemption after one year will be taken based on actual traffic data on the expressways. Additionally, the Ministry of Road Transport has been directed to ensure strict action against agencies involved in construction delays. This step is seen as crucial in providing relief to commuters and creating pressure to ensure the timely completion of projects.
