NEW DELHI: Toll charges on National Highways (NHs) and expressways have marginally increased at several toll plazas across the country, particularly for commercial and heavy vehicles, following a Delhi High Court order restoring the use of a linking factor to convert the Wholesale Price Index (WPI) series for revising user fees.Toll operators said the hike is in the range of 2-5% depending on vehicle category, and in most cases, there is no rise in toll charge for private cars. “This doesn’t impact cars that have FASTag Annual Pass. Even for those which don’t have the pass, there is hardly any increase. Govt has only reinstated the linking factor for toll revision,” said an official.Govt revises the toll charge every April. However, following an observation by Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) on govt’s linking factor due to change in base year of WPI from 2004-05 to 2011-12 for toll fee revision, road transport ministry, in Sep 2025, had used the linking factor at older rate (2004-5). This resulted in reduction of toll charge, and even the revision in fee in April this year happened at the older rate.But highway operators challenged the ministry’s order in Delhi HC, and the court ruled in their favour. Subsequently, complying with the court order, the ministry on June 29 decided to use the 2011-12 linking factor. “So, the hike of April 2025 has been reinstated, and the rates have also been revised from this April,” said a toll operator.
