What's the Old System?
Previously, the method for calculating tolls on highways with expensive structures like long bridges, tunnels, or flyovers was straightforward but often costly for commuters. To account for the higher construction and maintenance costs of these structures,
their length was effectively multiplied, sometimes by as much as ten times, when determining the tollable distance. This meant that a relatively short journey on a highway that was mostly a bridge or tunnel could result in a disproportionately high toll, as there was no upper limit on this multiplied, chargeable length.
How Is the New Calculation Different?
The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has amended the rules to introduce a new, fairer formula. Now, for highway sections with major structures, the tollable distance will be calculated using two methods, and the lower of the two results will be applied. The first method is similar to the old one: ten times the length of the structures plus the length of the remaining highway. The second method is new: five times the total length of the entire highway section. By forcing the adoption of the lower figure, the government has effectively placed a cap on how much the presence of a bridge or tunnel can inflate your toll fee. It's important to note that structures less than 60 metres in length are not treated separately under this new formula.
Why Was This Change Made?
The primary goal of this revision is to strike a better balance between two competing needs: fairness for the commuter and recovering the high cost of building complex infrastructure. The government acknowledged that the previous multiplier system could lead to excessive charges on certain routes. The new dual-formula approach aims to make toll collection more equitable while still ensuring that the funds needed for the upkeep of these expensive assets are generated. This change is about rationalising the fee structure, not eliminating the premium for using advanced infrastructure.
So, Who Actually Pays Less?
This is not a blanket discount across all national highways. The reduction in toll charges specifically benefits motorists travelling on stretches that contain long bridges, tunnels, and elevated corridors. For example, on a hypothetical 40-km highway with 30 km of structures, the chargeable length under the old rule could have been 310 km. Under the new rule, it would be capped at 200 km, resulting in a significant saving. However, if you are driving on a regular highway with no major structures, your toll is unlikely to change due to this specific rule amendment.
What About Other Toll System Changes?
This calculation change is separate from the broader move towards a satellite-based, barrier-free tolling system. While there has been much discussion about using GPS or Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) technology to charge motorists for the exact distance they travel, a nationwide rollout has not been finalised. The government has clarified that while it is exploring technologies like GNSS and Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR), the FASTag system remains the primary method for toll collection for now. The long-term vision is a seamless, barrier-free system, but the immediate change is focused on this fairer calculation method for specific highway types.
