42 NH projects worth Rs 10,992 cr in bidding stage; 202 projects underway

Toll collection on national highways through FASTags cross Rs 4,000 crore in the last three months, with average toll collection higher than the previous quarter and financial year at Rs 4,406 crore

The Ministry of Road Transport & Highways is currently handling 202 National Highway projects covering a total length of 6,270 kilometres with an estimated cost of Rs 79,789 crore. Out of these projects, 42 NH projects, spanning 474 kilometres and valued at Rs 10,992 crore, are in the bidding stage.

Additionally, 11 NH projects covering 245 kilometres and costing around Rs 3,816 crore are about to reach the stage of declaration of the appointed date in Maharashtra, reported the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways (MoRTH) on Thursday. The construction period for these projects typically ranges from 18 to 30 months from the appointed date.

Since the government adopted the FASTag programme, the number of toll collection plazas on national highways has significantly increased. In the financial year 2022-23, a total of 112 fee plazas were started under the National Highways Authority of India.

As of April 29, 2023, the FASTag collection at fee plazas on national highways reached Rs 162.10 crore. The collection through FASTags for the past three months shows an increasing trend, continuously crossing the Rs 4,000 crore mark. Collections for the last three months were the following:

• April 2023: Rs 4,314 Crore
• May 2023: Rs 4,554 Crore
• June 2023: Rs 4,349 Crore

The average monthly fee collection through FASTags for the quarter from April to June 2023 amounted to Rs 4,406 crore. This average is higher than the previous quarter (January-March 2023) at Rs. 4,083 crore and the previous financial year 2022-23 at Rs 3,841 crore.

The government has also appointed a consultant to provide advisory services on implementing new technologies like Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) based barrierless free flow tolling to further improve the tolling system. The GNSS technology allows for vehicle positioning on the National Highway, enabling the calculation of user fees based on the distance travelled. This technology aims to make toll collection more seamless and efficient for highway users.