No Time Limit or 60-km Exception: Roads Ministry Busts Myths Around Toll Collection on National Highways

There is no provision of exempting toll fee if the queue is beyond a stipulated distance or waiting exceeds a certain time limit at plazas on National Highways (NHs), according to the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH). The ministry also said fee plazas functioning within a 60-km range of one another are also permissible as per the provisions.

In two different replies in the Lok Sabha on Friday, Union minister cleared the air on the two exceptions.

Saharanpur MP Imran Masood had asked Gadkari whether the government is aware that commuters on Chandigarh-Dehradun NH-73 route are compelled to pay undue toll tax even though the distance between toll plazas on both sides of Sarsawa toll plaza is less than 60 kilometres.

Gadkari responded that “fee plazas functioning within 60 km range are also permissible as per the provisions of the NH Fee Rules and Concession Agreement. User fee is collected at Sarsawa user fee plaza on Chandigarh-Dehradun NH-73 as per the user fee Notification No. 3217 (E) dated 22nd September, 2020 published in Gazette of India in terms of provision of NH Fee Rule”.

Earlier this week, an old video of Gadkari from March 2022 went viral where he said he will ensure that there is only one toll plaza within 60 kilometres and if a second plaza exists, it will be shut down in the next three months. However, the reply in Lok Sabha on Thursday refused any such exemption.

Masood also asked if the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) is planning to close the second toll plaza but the minister replied that the need “does not arise”.

In another reply, Gadkari had also said that fee plazas are established on National Highways as per the National Highways Fee (Determination of Rates and Collection) Rules, 2008, which stipulate that any other fee plaza on the same section of National Highway and in the same direction shall not be established within a distance of 60 kilometre provided that where the executing authority deems necessary, it may for reasons to be recorded in writing, establish or allow the concessionaire to establish another fee plaza within a distance of 60 kilometres.

“A fee plaza may also be established within a distance of 60 kilometre from another fee plaza if such fee plaza is for collection of fee for a permanent bridge, bypass or tunnel. The distance criteria of 60 kilometres for establishment of a fee plaza has come into existence after National Highways Fee (Determination of Rates and Collection) Rules, 2008 and there was no such criteria in earlier National Highways Fee Rules, 1997,” Gadkari told the House.

In addition, in case of a closed user fee collection system, fee plazas can be established anywhere on the National Highways, he said. “Fee plazas functioning within 60 km range are also permissible and established as per the provisions of the NH Fee Rules and Concession Agreement,” Gadkari added.

In a separate question, Nagaur MP Hanuman Beniwal had asked Gadkari if the NHAI has issued guidelines for designing new toll plazas in a manner that in case the queue of vehicles on a particular lane exceeds 100 meters from the toll booth during peak hours, the boom barrier of that lane would be lifted for free flow of traffic without toll till the queue reaches 100 meters again. Also, a yellow line would be marked for this purpose at a distance of 100 meters from the toll booth in each toll lane which will be prominently displayed for the users.

Responding to the question, Gadkari said “there is no such provision of exempting the vehicles from user fee in case the vehicles stopped beyond a stipulated distance/certain time limit at fee plazas on National Highways (NHs) as per extant fee rules”.

He added that subsequent to mandatory implementation of FASTag in all lanes on February 16, 2021, Impact Assessment study on FASTag System was conducted by National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) through a consultant.

“The finding of the above study reflects that average waiting time at fee plazas has been reduced from 734 seconds to 47 seconds for Financial Year 2022,” he said.

However, in May 2021, the NHAI had issued a statement where it said that guidelines have been issued by the NHAI to ensure minimal waiting time at toll plazas. The aim was to ensure service time of not more than 10 seconds per vehicle even at peak hours at the toll plazas on the national highways.

“The new set of guidelines will also ensure seamless flow of traffic at the toll plazas by not allowing vehicles to queue up more than 100 metres. Although in most of the toll plazas, there is no waiting time after mandatory 100 per cent FASTag, even then if there is queue of waiting vehicles of more than 100 metres due to some reason, the vehicles will be allowed to pass without paying toll till the queue comes within 100 meters from the toll booth,” the statement added.

For this purpose, it added, a yellow line at a distance of 100 meters from the toll booth will be marked in each toll lane. “This is to inculcate further sense of accountability in toll plaza operators,” the statement added.