In perhaps a huge development aimed at ameliorating the day-to-day travails of commuters and enhancing regional connectivity somewhere in India, the government has granted a legal dispensation instituting exemption from toll collection on certain national and state highways across India. It is one of the steps of a larger reform agenda in the road infrastructure and mobility sectors for short-distance and non-commercial road travel to be smoother and cheaper.
Why Toll Charges Are Being Removed
The action came on account of public grievances and PILs against charging tolls at distances less than 20 km from municipal limits or residential zones and on highways where tolling had long outlived the cost recovery of the toll collection. The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) studied such stretches in detail and concluded that continuing with toll collection in several cases was unjustified.
Exemption from toll is to bring benefits to lakhs of travelers, especially in semi-urban and rural settings, where toll collection was regarded as an economic burden on daily commuters.
Key Benefits Of Toll Removal
- The costs of travel are substantially lowered, whether for private or commercial vehicles.
- No delays or congestions at toll plazas on de-notified roads.
- Promotion of local tourism and local trade.
- Greater fuel saving owing to the uninterrupted flow of traffic.
- Environmental benefits through-lowered emissions-at-toll stops.
Newly Toll-Free Roads Status (A few Highlights)
Some prominent roads that have been declared toll-free as on June 2025 are:
- NH-19 stretch from Dankuni (in West Bengal) to Bardhaman
- SH-4 in Punjab from Ludhiana to Moga
- NH-48 bypass section near city limits of Jaipur
- Pune Ring Road (Outer) for 25 km stretch
- NH-44 highway near Jalandhar to Hoshiarpur
- Eastern Peripheral Expressway access roads within municipal limits
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Note: The complete official list can be accessed from the MoRTH website and respective State transport portals.
How To Verify Your Route Is Toll-Free
The status of toll-free roads can be checked via the FASTag App, NHAI toll portal, or by dialing 1033 – National Highways Helpline. Also, new signage will be placed at the entry points of the affected roads.
Conclusion
Removal of tolls for the selected roads is indicative of a traveler-friendly shift in policy. It ensures farm cores of road usage residents who use local routes daily and pitch India into a greater transport ecosystem efficient and inclusive.
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