Patna: The Bihar government has approved a new toll policy that will link user charges on state highways and major bridges to the width of the road, introducing a revised system aimed at supporting infrastructure maintenance while exempting narrower and urban roads from toll collection.
The policy, cleared by the state cabinet, replaces the earlier approach by introducing differentiated toll rates based on the size and category of the road.
Toll To Depend On Road Width
Under the new framework, state highways narrower than 5.5 metres will not attract toll charges.
Officials said wider roads and multi-lane highways will carry higher toll rates, reflecting their construction and maintenance costs.
The Road Construction Department has so far identified around 50 state highways for the new system, while surveys of additional roads are underway.
Relief For Urban Commuters
The policy also exempts several categories of roads from toll collection.
According to the Road Construction Department, sections of state highways that pass through municipal areas will not be subject to toll charges.
Similarly, Major District Roads (MDRs) have been excluded from the toll regime.
The exemption is expected to benefit cities such as Patna, where many key roads fall under the MDR category.
Key Projects Included
Among the projects identified for toll collection are the JP Ganga Path and the Kacchi Dargah–Bidupur six-lane bridge, both of which are expected to attract comparatively higher user charges because of their width and modern infrastructure.
However, Atal Path and Patli Path have been kept outside the toll system for the time being.
Officials also said the government is considering bringing the old NH-30 stretch between Patna and Bakhtiyarpur under the toll network in the future.
Differential Rates Planned
The revised policy provides for toll charges to be calculated on a per-kilometre basis, with rates varying according to road width and the number of lanes.
According to the department:
- Six-lane roads will attract the highest toll rates.
- Four-lane and narrower roads will have proportionately lower charges.
- In some cases, toll rates on narrower roads may be up to 60% lower than those on six-lane highways.
- Roads narrower than 5.5 metres will remain toll-free.
Officials said the approach is intended to align toll rates with the quality of infrastructure and the cost of construction and maintenance.
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Separate Rules For Mining Corridors
The government has also introduced separate provisions for heavy commercial vehicles operating in mining areas.
Where highways pass through mining zones, exemptions based on road width will not apply. Instead, heavy vehicles will be charged a fixed toll on a per-kilometre basis.
More Roads May Be Added
The Road Construction Department said surveys of additional highways and bridges are continuing across the state.
Following these assessments, more roads may be brought under the revised toll system.
The government said the new policy is intended to establish a sustainable funding mechanism for maintaining and expanding Bihar’s road infrastructure, while encouraging motorists to pay user charges based on the category and standard of the routes they use.
