Centre Changes Toll Rule: No Extra Expressway Charge Until Corridor Is Fully Open
Centre Changes Toll Rule: No Extra Expressway Charge Until Corridor Is Fully Open
New amendment from February 15, 2026, brings major relief for commuters paying premium tolls on incomplete expressways.
Drivers using national expressways will soon get significant relief at toll plazas, as the Government of India has revised the rules for toll collection on incomplete expressway stretches.
Under the new framework, the additional expressway premium will not be charged unless the entire corridor is fully operational end-to-end. The amended rule will come into effect from February 15, 2026.
At present, toll rates on National Expressways are set around 25% higher than standard National Highways. This premium is meant to reflect smoother, access-controlled travel with fewer intersections and faster movement. However, motorists have long complained that the higher toll was being charged even when expressways were only partially open or still under construction.
To address these concerns, the Centre has amended the National Highways Fee (Determination of Rates and Collection) Rules, 2008 through the National Highways Fee (Amendment) Rules, 2026.
As per the revised policy, if an expressway is not fully open from start to finish, users will pay only the lower National Highway rate on the operational stretch. The 25% expressway premium will apply only after vehicles can travel seamlessly across the complete corridor.
The government believes this move will encourage more motorists and freight operators to use partially completed expressways instead of overcrowded parallel highways. Officials also expect the change to help ease congestion, improve travel speed, and reduce pollution caused by traffic bottlenecks on busy national routes.
The notification announcing the amendment was published on February 12, 2026, and the new toll regime will remain valid for up to one year from February 15, 2026, or until the affected expressway becomes fully operational, whichever comes earlier.
For regular highway users, the rule change is expected to bring immediate financial relief and a more fair toll system during long construction phases.
