Industry Odisha Bureau, Jul 9: In a bid to avert further expenditure to a tune of more crores on redesigns unnecessarily, the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) has reportedly tightened up its belt for overhauling the process by having decided to approve first the toll plaza spots as well as the toll rates before the construction works of the concerned national highway (NH) begins.
As per media reports, “Such a significant decision has been taken by the MoRTH following instances of toll plazas being constructed along the NHs those were later found out to have violated the prescribed norms for location or distance leaving little room for corrections afterwards.”
Media reports added that, “The MoRTH has issued a standard operating procedure (SOP) in December 2025 in order to streamline the toll notification process and align it with the timelines of the project implementation.”
Media reports highlighted that, “The SOP issued by the MoRTH in December last year underlines that the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), National Highways & Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd (NHIDCL) and the respective State Governments’ Public Works Departments (PWDs) must initiate the toll notification process six months before the project completion or once physical progress reaches 80%, whichever is earlier. By the time a project reaches 95% physical progress, the user fee notification must be finalized, approved and published in the Gazette of India.”
Also, pertinent to note here that, “Established under the National Highways Fee Rules, 2008, the minimum distance between two toll plazas ought to be 60 kms on the same highway in India. Toll plazas are generally not permitted within 60 kms of another one or within 10 kms of municipality limits. Exceptions to this rule may be made in special situations, for instance, in congested areas or when the situation warrants for more effective traffic management.”
