Toll Charges Cut by Up to 50% in Key Highways, Brings Major Relief for Commuters! How Much Will You Save?

The Government of India has officially revised the method of calculating toll charges on specific sections of National Highways (NH). The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, in a notification dated July 2, 2025, announced a reduction in user fees by up to 50% on stretches of highways that comprise major infrastructure structures such as bridges, tunnels, flyovers and elevated roads.

Revised Toll Charges on Highways: How Will Toll Charges Be Calculated?

As per the revised norms, toll charges on these specialised highway sections will now be computed using a more balanced and commuter-friendly formula. The change comes through an amendment to the existing NH Fee Rules, 2008, which govern toll collection on national highways across the country.

Under the newly revised toll calculation method, charges on National Highways with structures such as tunnels, bridges, or flyovers will now be determined in a more commuter-friendly manner. These structures were previously subject to higher toll rates due to their structural complexity and construction costs.

Instead of basing the toll solely on the high cost of building these structures, the fee will be calculated using one of two options, either by adding ten times the length of the structure to the remaining length of the highway section, or by simply multiplying the total length of that highway stretch by five-whichever results in a shorter distance.

For example, if a particular highway section is 40 kilometres long and made up entirely of structures, the previous calculation would charge tolls based on 400 kilometres (10 times 40 km). Under the new rule, the toll will now be based on 200 kilometres (5 times 40 km), since it is the smaller value. This effectively cuts the toll charge in half, offering much-needed relief to travellers.

Government Cuts Toll Fees: How Much Money You Will Save on Every Journey?

Below are the key ways the revised toll rule will benefit regular travellers and ease their commuting expenses.

Lower Daily Travel Costs: For commuters who use these routes frequently, especially those passing through urban areas with multiple flyovers or elevated corridors, this revision means spending less money daily on tolls. Over time, these savings can add up to thousands of rupees annually.

Reduced Logistics and Transport Expenses: Commercial transporters moving goods across states often bear high toll charges due to multiple structured sections on their routes. The new toll formula reduces the chargeable length significantly, thereby cutting operational costs. These savings could potentially trickle down, leading to lower prices of transported goods.

Boost for Inter-city and Highway Travel: With major corridors like expressways and national highways becoming more affordable, this move can encourage more inter-city road travel, both for business and tourism purposes. Reduced toll rates make road trips cheaper and more accessible.

Fairer Pricing Model: Previously, tolls were disproportionately high on roads with complex structures, regardless of how long a person actually travelled. The revised model ensures toll is calculated based on a rational and capped distance, making it fairer and more equitable for commuters.

Take a case where a 40 km highway was entirely made up of structures. Under old rules, tolls would be based on 400 km of chargeable distance. Under the new method, it is calculated on just 200 km-cutting the toll amount by 50% instantly.