Cash payments at toll plazas across national highways will be discontinued from April 10, according to a government notification, marking a shift towards a fully digital toll system.
The move follows an earlier proposal by the government to phase out cash transactions at all National Highway toll plazas. The transformation has been planned to build a fully digital toll ecosystem and improve operational efficiency across the network.The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) had earlier said that all toll payments will now be processed exclusively through digital modes like FASTag and Unified Payments Interface (UPI).
It said the change aims to improve ease of movement by increasing lane productivity, reducing congestion at toll plazas, and ensuring greater transparency and consistency in toll transactions.The authority also added that the complete shift to digital payments is expected to streamline traffic, reduce delays, and enhance the overall user experience at more than 1,150 toll plazas on national highways and expressways.
Meanwhile, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and the Uttar Pradesh Expressway Industrial Development Authority (UPEEDA) have revised toll rates.The updated tolls, which will be applied across national and state highways, show a small upward revision. While tolls on national highways will rise by up to 10% for passenger vehicle owners, tolls on Uttar Pradesh highways have been hiked in the range of 1.50% to 3.50%.Under the revised structure, car and SUV owners using the Lucknow-Agra Expressway will now pay Rs 675 instead of Rs 665, while two-wheeler riders will be charged Rs 335 instead of Rs 330 for a single trip.Similarly, user charges on the Gorakhpur Link Expressway have been increased by Rs 10 for four-wheelers and Rs 5 for two-wheelers, taking the revised rates to Rs 295 and Rs 145 respectively. The increase will also apply to commercial vehicles, including buses and heavy multi-axle transport vehicles.