The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) reported that toll fee collections on national highways amounted to Rs 54,811.13 crore for the fiscal year 2023-24. Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari, disclosed this information during a Rajya Sabha session.
In his statement, Minister Nitin Gadkari noted that the anticipated increase in user fee collection, due to a 2.55 percent revision in fee rates, was Rs 1,400 crore. He elaborated, “During the financial year 2023-24, total fee collection at national highway fee plaza operational under NHAI was Rs 54,811.13 crore.”
Over the past five years, user fee rates have been revised five times, with an average increase of 2.55 percent from FY 2023-24.
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The Ministry also allocated Rs 6,523 crore for the maintenance of national highways last year. In high traffic density areas such as the Delhi-Meerut Expressway, Trans-Haryana, and Eastern Peripheral Expressway, the Advanced Traffic Management System (ATMS) has been installed. The Minister explained, “In new NH projects on high-density and high-speed corridors of NHAI, installation of ATMS is generally a part of the project. Further, ATMS is also implemented as standalone projects in already constructed important corridors.”
Regarding road safety, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways reported that in 2022, there were 4,61,312 accidents across all roads, including 1,51,997 on national highways. The fatalities included 1,68,491 deaths, with 61,038 occurring on national highways. The Ministry has developed a multi-pronged strategy to tackle road safety issues, focusing on education, engineering (both roads and vehicles), enforcement, and emergency care.
Additionally, NHAI has planted 402.28 lakh plants along national highways, in line with the Green Highways Policy 2015.