NHAI Revises Toll Calculation Formula: Bridge, Tunnel and Flyover Toll Charges May Reduce on National Highways

Key Highlights

• Government revises toll calculation formula for National Highways.

• Lower of two prescribed formulas will determine toll charges.

• Structures up to 60 metres will not be counted separately.

• Toll charges may reduce on highways with bridges, tunnels and flyovers.

• New rule balances affordable tolls with infrastructure cost recovery.

The Government of India has revised the toll calculation method for certain National Highway stretches that include bridges, tunnels, flyovers and elevated roads. The new rule is expected to provide relief to many highway users by reducing toll charges on structure-heavy road sections while ensuring that the cost of building and maintaining these expensive infrastructure projects can still be recovered.

The revised framework changes how tolls are calculated and is aimed at making the toll collection system fairer for motorists.

New Toll Calculation Method Introduced

Earlier, National Highway stretches with a large number of bridges, tunnels and elevated structures often attracted higher toll charges because these sections were calculated using a higher multiplier.

Under the revised rule, the toll will now be calculated using the lower of the following two formulas:

• Formula 1: Ten times the total length of all eligible structures (such as bridges, tunnels, flyovers and elevated roads) plus the remaining length of the highway.

• Formula 2: Five times the total length of the entire National Highway section.

The lower value obtained from these two calculations will be considered as the chargeable distance for determining the toll amount.

Another important change is that structures measuring 60 metres or less will not be counted separately under the revised toll calculation formula.

Toll Charges May Reduce for Many Motorists

The updated toll formula is expected to benefit motorists travelling on National Highway stretches that contain a large number of costly structures like long bridges, tunnels, flyovers and elevated corridors.

Since the lower of the two prescribed formulas will now be used, the chargeable distance for toll calculation may reduce in many cases. As a result, several road users could pay lower toll charges compared to the earlier system.

However, the actual reduction in toll will depend on the specific highway and the proportion of bridges, tunnels and elevated structures on that route.

Why Has the Government Changed the Toll Formula?

According to the government, the revised toll calculation framework has been introduced to make toll collection more balanced and transparent.

Infrastructure such as tunnels, elevated highways, flyovers and long bridges requires significantly higher investment for construction and maintenance than regular highway stretches. The new method aims to strike a balance between recovering these infrastructure costs and keeping toll charges affordable for road users.

Who Will Benefit?

The revised toll calculation rule is expected to benefit motorists who frequently travel on National Highway sections that include:

• Long bridges

• Tunnels

• Elevated highways

• Flyovers

• Viaducts

Highways that do not have these structures are unlikely to experience any noticeable change in toll charges.

The revised formula will apply only to National Highway sections covered under the updated fee calculation framework.

What This Means for Highway Users

The new NHAI toll calculation framework is a significant step towards a fairer toll collection system. By adopting the lower of two prescribed formulas and excluding structures up to 60 metres from separate calculation, the government aims to reduce toll charges on many structure-heavy highway sections without affecting long-term infrastructure funding. Motorists travelling through routes with major bridges, tunnels and elevated corridors are expected to receive the maximum benefit, while maintaining a balanced approach to recovering construction and maintenance costs.

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CMV360 Says

The revised NHAI toll calculation formula is expected to make toll charges more reasonable for motorists travelling on National Highways with bridges, tunnels, flyovers and elevated roads. By using the lower of two calculation methods and excluding smaller structures from separate consideration, the government aims to ensure fair toll collection while supporting infrastructure cost recovery. The actual benefit will vary by route, but many highway users could see lower toll charges in the future.