Union Minister Nitin Gadkari Announces New Changes In Toll Tax Rules

If you also travel a lot on highways, here is the news for you. Now, the stress level at the toll plazas for the commuters is going to be reduced. Union Minister Nitin Gadkari has made a big announcement about the toll plazas, which will affect crores of people who commute via them. Gadkari announced that before 2024, 26 new expressways will be built in India and at the same time new rules for them will also be issued.

According to Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, after the new Green Expressway is built, India will be at par with America in terms of roads. He also mentioned that there will be a big change in the technology and the way toll tax is been collected at the toll plazas.

The government has made two provisions

In coming days, government is planning come up with two options for recovering the toll tax at the plazas. First, they would be installing GPS systems in all the vehicles, whereas in the second case, the method will co relate with the latest number plates. Planning for the same is underway.

Punishment for non-payment of toll

There is no such provision for punishment for non-payment of the toll tax. Gadkari said that in coming days they will be focusing on the use of technology to collect the toll tax. As of now, the amount is being deducted through the FastTag system, and going forward the same will be applicable to bank accounts also. He also added that in year 2019, they made the rule that the new cars will come with a new type of number plate, and the vehicles that have come up in the last 4 years have them.

Largest toll plaza in India

Delhi-Gurgaon Expressway Toll Plaza is India’s largest and perhaps Asia’s largest with 32 lanes and 4 reversible toll lanes. The expressway was a joint venture of Kapsch TrafficCom with Indian Metro Road Systems Limited.

Why is toll tax charged?

In India, for all the tolls and highways there is a particular fee amount which is charged, for the toll facility construction and maintenance. The toll is served at toll plazas on the highways.

Toll rules in India

Toll plazas in India dictate the drivers that they must pay the toll tax for using the toll. Other vehicles in the category are Police vehicles, Fire brigade, ambulances etc. But there are some people who are exempted from the same. Following are in the list:

• The President of India
• Prime Minister of India
• Other ministers and MPs
• Chief Justice of India and many judges
• Governor of any state
• Speaker of the House of People
• Several secretaries.
• Foreign dignitaries, etc.

FastTag in India

FastTag has been made mandatory for all vehicles to commute through the national highways. If you travel without the FastTag then you have to pay double the toll tax fees. The government is pushing towards making it compulsory all over the country.

How is toll tax calculated?

The amount if toll is determined on length of the toll stretch, which is usually 60 kilometres. If this is less, then you will be charged on the basis of the kilometres you travel. The other infrastructures that get considered are bridges, tunnels, vehicles’ axle count and load, etc.

People residing under the radius of 20 kms near the toll plazas get the discount on using the road. The toll tax for people is not free but they get discount on that.

Toll tax is free if you wait for 3 minutes

When the waiting time at the toll plaza exceeds 3 minutes of time, the fee gets exempted. However, if the toll queue is 100 metres long then also the driver is not expected to pay the toll tax.