Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has announced a significant update regarding the National Highways Fee (Determination of Rates and Collection) Rules, 2008. The National Highways fees (Determination of Rates and collection) Amendment Rules 2024, are designed to promote the use of the Global Navigation satellite system (GNSS) for toll collection.
After conducting a pilot study the Government has introduced a GNSS-based toll system alongside the existing FASTag technology. As announced by the Union Road Transport and Highway Minister Mr. Nitin Gadkari a pilot study was conducted on two key highway sections—the Bengaluru-Mysore section of NH-275 in Karnataka and the Panipat-Hisar section of NH-709 in Haryana. As per the new rules private vehicle with GNSS can travel up to 20km/day on highway and express way without paying toll pay for it. For trips over 20kilometers toll fees will be calculated based on the actual distance. Also zero user fee will be applied in both directions for journeys within 20-kilometer of traveling each day.
A owner, driver or a person in authority of a Non-National motor vehicle shall be charged a zero-user fee up to 20 kilometers of a journey on the national highway, permanent bridge, bypass or tunnel in each direction in a day under the Global Navigation Satellite system based user fee collection system.
A stakeholder consultation was held through an international workshop on 25th of June 2024, and EOI invited on 7th of June 2024 with a deadline 22nd of July 2024 as mentioned by Gadkari.