The Modi Government has recently made a major announcement that will benefit millions of private vehicle owners nationwide. The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has introduced a significant reform in the country's toll collection system.
The new National Highways Fee (Determination of Rates and Collection) Amendment Rules, 2024 introduces a toll-free provision for private vehicles that are traveling for short distances on national highways and expressways.
What are the New Changes?
Under the new regulations, private vehicles equipped with a functioning Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) will be exempt from paying tolls on highways. However, private vehicles are exempt from tolls only if the journey is within 20 kilometers per day. For trips exceeding 20 kilometers, the toll will be calculated based on the exact distance traveled.
The Ministry announced that under the GNSS-based toll collection system, drivers, owners, or operators of non-National Permit vehicles using the same section of a highway, bridge, bypass, or tunnel will not be charged a toll for journeys under 20 kilometers in either direction within a single day.
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No Toll Tax For Private Cars
The idea of collecting tolls using GNSS technology has been around for a while. The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways launched a pilot project to test this technique along with the current FASTag toll collection method. The recent amendments are the result of this pilot project only.
The objective of these changes is to increase the effectiveness of toll collection, reduce traffic jams at toll plazas, and give drivers a more seamless travel experience by utilizing cutting-edge GNSS technology.
"Provided additionally that an exclusive lane may be designated for vehicles equipped with a Global Navigation Satellite System On-Board Unit, and should a vehicle enter such lane without a valid, operational Global Navigation Satellite System On-Board Unit, shall pay a fee equivalent to two times the user fee applicable at that fee plaza," the notification continued.
The purpose of this policy adjustment is to streamline the toll collection procedure and to ease the financial burden on private car owners who make shorter commutes and.
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