User fee rates are calculated in accordance with National Highways Fee (Determination of Rates and Collection) Rules, 2008 for Public Funded fee plazas (EPC/HAM/BOT-Annuity) and the then applicable Fee Rules and provision of Concession Agreement for BOT (Toll) Fee plazas.

As per the provisions of National Highways Fee (Determination of Rates and Collection) Rules, 2008, the rate of fee for use of a section of National Highway of four or more lanes shall be the product of the length of such section and base rates for a year. Base rate of fee per km for the year 2007-08 (in rupees) is as under: -

Type of Vehicle	Base rate of fee per km (in Rupees)
Car, Jeep, Van or Light Motor Vehicle	0.65
Light Commercial Vehicle, Light Goods Vehicle or Mini Bus	1.05
Bus or Truck (Two axles)	2.20
Three-axle commercial vehicles	2.40
Heavy Construction Machinery(HCM) or Earth Moving Equipment (EME) or Multi Axle Vehicle (MAV) (four to six axles)	3.45
Oversized Vehicles (seven or more axles)	4.20

These user fee rates per km are revised each year with effect from the 1st day of April as per the extant fee Rules.

The rate of fee for the use of an expressway shall be 1.25 times the rate of fee for the use of a section of National Highway of four or more lanes.

National Highway having two-lanes with paved shoulders and above but below four-lane on which substantial improvement has been made by widening carriageway by three meters or more shall be sixty percent of fee for the use of a section of National Highway of four or more lanes.

The following are also taken into consideration while calculating user fee rates for the use of National Highways as per NH Fee Rules-2008.

(i) Bypass forming part of a section of a National Highway constructed with the cost of Rupees ten crore or more, for the base year 2007-08, shall be one and a half times the rate of fee specified above.

(ii) The rate of fee for use of a structure of length more than 60 metres forming a part of linear highway/expressway shall be calculated by converting the length of the structure into an equivalent of highway by multiplying by a factor of ten.

There is no exemptions to the public carriers at National Highway fee plazas as per extant Rules. Mechanical/Security vehicles transporting & accompanying certain dignitaries and vehicle used by certain Officer(s) for official purpose are exempted as per the provisions of National Highways Fee (Determination of Rates and Collection) Rules, 2008.

NHAI has carried out a study to assess the impact of National Electronic Toll (FASTag) Collection Programme. The study report has provided insight on better operational efficiency, fuel saving, throughput enhancement, revenue enhancement along with several intangible benefits after the introduction of FASTag.

The user fee collection in respect of Public Funded Fee Plazas (EPC/HAM/BOT (Annuity), as per the agreed conditions in contract, is deposited by the agency to the toll account which is transferred to the Consolidated funds of India. The user fee collection is retained by concessionaire in case of BOT/OMT/TOT Concessionaire fee plazas.

This information was given by the Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways, Shri Nitin Gadkari in a written reply to the Rajya Sabha.

 

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MJPS/NSK

(Release ID: 1983060)