Recent traffic and toll rule updates in india suggest that residents living within a certain distance of a toll plaza may be eligible for toll relief, but it’s not a complete free ride in all cases. Instead, the policy offers concessions for frequent local commuters.
🛣️ What the Rule Says
According to the National Highways Authority of india (NHAI) and updated toll guidelines:
- If your home is located within about 20 kilometres of a toll plaza, you may be eligible for concession or exemption from paying toll tax on that stretch of national highway.
- This benefit is intended for local residents who travel frequently near their home and would otherwise pay multiple toll charges just for daily comings and goings.
👉 Key point: This isn’t an automatic blanket waiver; you typically need to prove residence near the plaza to claim any exemption or discounted pass.
🪪 How It Works in Practice
Here’s how this concession generally works across different states and toll authorities:
📅 Monthly local Toll Pass
- People who live within the 20 km radius of a toll plaza can apply for a monthly toll pass.
- This pass allows unlimited crossings at that toll plaza for the month without paying each time — useful for daily commuters.
- For example, the concession pass might cost around ₹340 – ₹350 per month, but then you won’t pay per crossing during that period.
📌 What You Need
To get this benefit, commuters usually must show:
- Proof of local residence (like Aadhaar, voter ID, or driver’s licence),
- Vehicle registration linking the vehicle to the nearby address.
This helps ensure that only genuine local users get the concession.
🤔 Common Misunderstandings
There’s been some confusion about toll exemption rules — especially on social media — saying things like “if you live within 60 km of a toll plaza you don’t have to pay tolls”. These claims are not officially true and have been debunked.
⚠️ Important: There is no official toll exemption at 60 km distance; rumours about such wider radius waivers are incorrect.
The only recognised local concession that most authorities offer is for residents generally within about 20 km of a toll plaza, and even then it’s usually about a discounted pass rather than full exemption.
🏙️ Why This Rule Exists
Toll plazas are primarily designed to charge users of national highways and expressways for the cost of building and maintaining those roads.
But when people live very close to a toll plaza, paying tolls every time they leave or return home (even for short trips) can seem unfair and expensive — which is why many toll rules offer local concessions or monthly passes for those residents.
📌 Summary
- ✔️ Residents living within about 20 km of a toll plaza can often get a monthly pass or concession so they don’t pay individual tolls each time.
- 🪪 This requires proof of residence and vehicle registration near the plaza.
- ❌ It does not mean full toll exemption for everyone within a wide distance like 60 km — that’s a myth.
Disclaimer:
The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of any agency, organization, employer, or company. All information provided is for general informational purposes only. While every effort has been made to ensure accuracy, we make no representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, about the completeness, reliability, or suitability of the information contained herein. Readers are advised to verify facts and seek professional advice where necessary. Any reliance placed on such information is strictly at the reader’s own risk.
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