Parliament was notified on thursday that since december 2000, the government has earned Rs 1.44 lakh crore in toll taxes at charge plazas that are now operating on national highways under the Public Private Partnership (PPP) model.
Road transport and highways minister Nitin Gadkari stated in a written response to a question in the lok sabha that all user fee plazas on national highways are set up in accordance with the National Highways Fee (Determination of Rates and Collection) Rules, 2008, and the relevant Concession Agreement.
"Since december 2000, a total of 1.44 lakh crore rupees has been collected as user fees at fee plazas currently operating on National Highways under the Public Private Partnerships (PPP) model," he stated. In response to a different query, Gadkari stated that the government has started implementing barrier-free tolling by utilizing FASTag and the readily accessible technology-based electronic toll collection (ETC) system as an extra service.
According to the minister, no tolling system based on the Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) is currently in use anywhere along national highways. He did, however, add that to enable GNSS-based tolling through the On-Board Unit (OBU), an amendment to the NH Fee Rules, 2008 (dated Sep 9, 2024) was made. If GNSS-based tolling is made operational, users of vehicles that are not equipped with a valid, functional Global Navigation Satellite System On-Board Unit will be required to pay a fee equal to twice the user fee that applies to that category of vehicle at that fee plaza.
According to the NH Fee Rules, 2008 and its amendments, tolls on national highways and expressways will be assessed based on the actual distance driven by a vehicle under the GNSS-based user fee collecting system. In contrast, the user charge is now collected at the fee plaza based on the duration of the specific fee plaza and the project effect.
Road transport and highways minister Nitin Gadkari stated in a written response to a question in the lok sabha that all user fee plazas on national highways are set up in accordance with the National Highways Fee (Determination of Rates and Collection) Rules, 2008, and the relevant Concession Agreement.
"Since december 2000, a total of 1.44 lakh crore rupees has been collected as user fees at fee plazas currently operating on National Highways under the Public Private Partnerships (PPP) model," he stated. In response to a different query, Gadkari stated that the government has started implementing barrier-free tolling by utilizing FASTag and the readily accessible technology-based electronic toll collection (ETC) system as an extra service.
According to the minister, no tolling system based on the Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) is currently in use anywhere along national highways. He did, however, add that to enable GNSS-based tolling through the On-Board Unit (OBU), an amendment to the NH Fee Rules, 2008 (dated Sep 9, 2024) was made. If GNSS-based tolling is made operational, users of vehicles that are not equipped with a valid, functional Global Navigation Satellite System On-Board Unit will be required to pay a fee equal to twice the user fee that applies to that category of vehicle at that fee plaza.
According to the NH Fee Rules, 2008 and its amendments, tolls on national highways and expressways will be assessed based on the actual distance driven by a vehicle under the GNSS-based user fee collecting system. In contrast, the user charge is now collected at the fee plaza based on the duration of the specific fee plaza and the project effect.
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