New Delhi, Sep 11: The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways is preparing a toll policy to offer benefits to state and private bus operators using national highways, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari announced on Thursday. The move aims to support bus operators and enhance highway efficiency across the country.
The government has already rolled out a FASTag-based annual pass for non-commercial vehicles at Rs 3,000, effective from August 15. The pass, valid for one year or up to 200 trips, is intended for private vehicles such as cars, jeeps, and vans to ensure smoother highway travel.
Addressing the BOCI Bharat Prawaas Awards, Gadkari highlighted that the toll policy will specifically benefit state-run and private bus operators using national highways.
In addition, Gadkari shared that 10 key highway stretches have been identified for green hydrogen-powered trucks to curb vehicular pollution. Hydrogen refueling stations will be set up along these corridors by India Oil and Reliance Petroleum, with manufacturers like Tata Motors, Ashok Leyland, and Volvo already producing hydrogen-powered trucks.
The targeted stretches include Greater Noida–Delhi–Agra, Bhubaneswar–Puri–Konark, Ahmedabad–Vadodara–Surat, Sahibabad–Faridabad–Delhi, Jamshedpur–Kalinganagar, Thiruvananthapuram–Kochi, and Jamnagar–Ahmedabad.
Gadkari also mentioned that the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) is constructing 750 wayside amenities on private land along national highways to improve traveler convenience and services.