Archive · 3 Oct 2025
NHAI's Plan to Toll Parallel Routes: Unfair to Commuters?
Imagine the government is building new toll roads, and wants companies to build them.
To make it easier for the companies to make money, the government is thinking about letting them charge tolls on roads that run alongside the new ones.
This would make it harder to avoid paying tolls.
This plan could make things more expensive for people who use the roads, especially those who don't have a lot of money, like farmers or small businesses.
It might also mean that the companies don't have to try as hard to make the new roads good.
Some people think it's unfair because it puts the risk on the drivers and might even break some laws.
NHAI plans to let highway builders toll existing parallel routes to reduce investment risk.
This is to attract more bidders for new road projects under the BOT model.
Critics say this shifts financial risks from the government and developers to road users.
Bundling routes could reduce competition and service quality.
Legal challenges and potential impacts on low-income users are concerns.
- Who
- NHAI and highway developers, road users
- What
- NHAI plans to allow highway builders to toll parallel routes
- When
- Ongoing; proposed changes in BOT model
- Where
- India
- Why
- To attract investment and de-risk projects.
Consumer Advocates
Government/Developers
Fairness to Users
Consumer Advocates
The plan is unfair because it shifts financial risks to users, removing competition and potentially raising costs for low-income users.
Government/Developers
Bundling routes de-risks investments and attracts bidders, which is good for road construction and development.
Competition and Quality
Consumer Advocates
Allowing control of multiple routes removes incentives for developers to provide better services, and quality maintenance
Government/Developers
N/A - developers want to ensure they are getting a return on their investment by attracting users with high quality service.
- NHAI Debt
- ₹2.44 trillion as of March 31, 2025
- Proposed Action
- Allowing highway developers to toll parallel routes
- Model
- Build-operate-transfer (BOT)
- Reasoning
- To de-risk investments and attract bidders
- Concerns
- Potential unfairness to road users and legal challenges