India's National Highway (NH) network has witnessed a substantial expansion in its toll infrastructure, with the number of operational toll plazas increasing by nearly 65% over the last five years. Data shared by Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari in the Rajya Sabha reveals a rise from 733 operational plazas in 2021-22 to 1,209 in 2025-26, marking an addition of 476 new toll points.
State-Wise Expansion and Toll Collection Surge
Rajasthan currently holds the top position with 172 operational toll plazas as of 2025-26, followed by Uttar Pradesh with 141, Maharashtra with 105, and Madhya Pradesh with 98. Among major states, Maharashtra experienced one of the most significant increases, with its toll plaza count climbing from 59 to 105 during the five-year period. Uttar Pradesh also saw a considerable jump from 86 to 141, while Haryana more than doubled its plazas from 37 to 80. Gujarat's toll network expanded from 38 to 66.
This rapid expansion correlates with a sharp rise in user fee collections. Toll revenues on National Highways and Expressways nearly doubled, growing from ₹33,928.66 crore in 2021-22 to ₹70,278.18 crore in 2025-26. This figure includes ₹1,795.18 crore collected through an annual pass scheme introduced in the previous year.
Policy Reforms and Temporary Discontinuations
The government has also implemented several reforms to enhance the user-friendliness of the tolling system while ensuring sustained resources for highway development. These initiatives include the introduction of an annual pass for private vehicles, reduced toll rates on specific highway stretches, and lower penalties for vehicles using UPI payments when not equipped with FASTag. Revised user fee norms for upgraded highways and partially operational expressways have also been put into effect.
However, toll collection has been temporarily discontinued at seven National Highway fee plazas across states like Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Karnataka, and Kerala. The reasons cited for these suspensions range from public agitations and law-and-order concerns to natural calamities such as landslides, highway damage due to heavy rainfall, and ongoing highway widening projects.