The Government today notified an amendment to the National Highways Fee (Determination of Rates and Collection) Rules, 2008, to provide relief to users of National Expressways that are only partially operational.

The amended rules will come into effect from February 15.

When a National Expressway is not opened end-to-end, the toll fee will now be charged for the completed stretch at the lower rate applicable to National Highways, rather than the higher expressway tariff.

This means commuters using partially completed expressways will pay reduced toll charges until the entire corridor becomes operational.

The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways outlined several goals behind the rule change:

• Promote greater use of partially opened expressway stretches
• Decongest existing parallel National Highways by diverting traffic to new corridors
• Facilitate faster movement of passengers and goods
• Reduce pollution caused by traffic congestion on older routes

The amendment addresses a practical concern where users were hesitant to use partially operational expressways due to higher toll rates, even when these stretches offered better road quality and faster travel times.

By aligning toll charges with National Highway rates until full completion, the government aims to incentivize traffic migration to newer infrastructure while ensuring users receive value proportionate to the services available.

The move is expected to benefit commuters on several under-construction expressway projects across the country where sections have been opened to traffic ahead of complete corridor commissioning.