BENGALURU: The Karnataka State Travel Operators’ Association has urged the Centre to review the toll pricing framework on national highways, arguing that the existing rules framed under the National Highways Fee (Devtermination of Rates and Collection) Rules, 2008, no longer reflect current realities.
K Radhakrishna Holla, representing the association, said toll charges are being revised every year strictly based on rules formulated in 2008, without adequately considering major changes that have taken place in the country’s road and transport sector over the past 15 to 18 years.
He pointed out that highway infrastructure, vehicle numbers and traffic patterns have undergone substantial changes since the rules were introduced. According to him, in several highway projects, the initial investment in road construction is widely believed to have already been recovered, often more than twice, through toll collection.
At the same time, the number of vehicles using national highways has increased rapidly each year, leading to higher toll revenue. Considering these factors, the government should constitute a committee to review the National Highways Toll Rules of 2008.
The review should be based on a comparison between the vehicle population before 2008 and the latest registered vehicle numbers up to March 2026, Holla added. “A comprehensive reassessment of toll pricing on national highways is urgently required in the interest of fairness and transparency for road users,” he said.