Ministry of Road Transport and Highways Notifies User Fee for NH-26 Section in Odisha

The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, through Notification S.O. 3972(E) issued on August 29, 2025, established a new fee collection mechanism for a specific stretch of National Highway Number 26 (formerly NH No. 201) in the State of Odisha. This statutory order, which came into force upon its publication in the Official Gazette, was issued in exercise of powers conferred by Section 7 of the National Highways Act, 1956, read with Rule 3 of the National Highways Fee (Determination of Rates and Collection) Rules, 2008. The notification details the levy of user fees for the Bargarh - Bolangir section, spanning from design chainage Km 0.000 to Km 72.000, and designates the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) to collect these fees, either directly or through contractors.

The fee structure is based on vehicle type and road section length, with base rates from the 2007-08 financial year. For instance, cars, jeeps, vans, or light motor vehicles are subject to a base rate of Rs. 0.65 per kilometre, while oversized vehicles with seven or more axles face a rate of Rs. 4.20 per kilometre. The fee plaza, located at Km 48.650 of NH-26 near Bolangir in the Bolangir District, will collect fees at 100 percent of the base rates for 20.937 kilometres of four-lane or more sections, and at 60 percent of the base rates for 49.655 kilometres of two-lane sections with paved shoulders. Additionally, a fee is levied for the use of structures exceeding 60 metres in length, calculated by converting their actual length into an equivalent road length using an equalisation factor of 10. For example, a major bridge of 0.063 kilometres is treated as 0.63 kilometres for fee calculation purposes.

The legislation provided: “the Central Government, hereby levies the fee at base rate specified in column (2) of the Table 1 for net road section length of 20.937 km Table-2 and for equivalent structure length (having length more than 60m) of 0.63 km (having length of 0.063 km Table-3) for use of four lane or more section and at Sixty (60) percent of the base rate specified in column (2) of the Table 1 for net road section length of 49.655 km Table-2 for use of two lane with paved shoulder section on the type of vehicle specified in column (1) of Table 1 below for use of Bargarh - Bolangir section from design chainage Km 0.000 to Km 72.000 of National Highway Number 26 (old NH-201) in the State of Odisha and authorises National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) to collect, either through its officials or through a contractor, the said fee…”

The notification also outlines provisions for monthly passes, multiple journey passes, and concessions. A monthly pass for non-commercial vehicles owned by residents within 20 kilometres of the toll plaza is set at Rs. 350.00 for the year 2025-26, subject to annual revision. For frequent users, passes are available for two journeys within 24 hours at one and a half times the one-way fee, or for fifty journeys within a month at two-thirds of the fee for fifty single journeys. Commercial vehicles registered in the district where the fee plaza is located are eligible for a 50 percent reduction in the specified rate, provided no service or alternative road is available. Drivers or owners of mechanical vehicles carrying loads in excess of permissible limits will be liable to pay a fee as per the rules and will not be permitted to use the highway section until the excess load is removed. All definitions, including vehicle categories and permissible loads, are to be as specified in the National Highways Fee (Determination of Rates and Collection) Rules, 2008. The fee rates will be displayed for public information in accordance with Rule 12 of the said rules.

The legislative intent behind this notification is to ensure the sustainable development and maintenance of national highways by recovering the capital costs incurred in their construction and improvement. By establishing a clear and structured fee collection mechanism, the Central Government aims to generate revenue necessary for the upkeep of critical infrastructure. The earlier legal framework, primarily the National Highways Act, 1956, and the National Highways Fee Rules, 2008, provided the overarching authority, and this notification fills the specific operational details for this particular highway stretch. The provision for concessions, such as monthly passes for local residents and reduced rates for district-registered commercial vehicles, addresses potential socio-economic impacts on local communities and businesses, balancing revenue generation with public welfare. The estimated capital cost of the project is Rs. 338.08 Crore, with the NHAI tasked with maintaining records of user fee recovery against this cost. The actual fee amounts and discounts will be calculated and revised annually by the NHAI, with public notification in both English and vernacular newspapers.

Keywords: National Highway, Toll Fee, Odisha, Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, NHAI, Fee Rules, Bolangir, Bargarh, Road Transport, User Fee

Geo Tags: India, Odisha
District: Bolangir