Barrier-free toll booths on national highways by March 2027: Nitin Gadkari
The Minister for Road Transport and Highways said that full FASTag implementation will benefit the government by ₹25,000 crore per year
Union Minister Nitin Gadkari announced on September 11, 2026, that all toll booths on national highways will be barrier-free by March 2027. This initiative, which complements the full implementation of the electronic toll collection system FASTag, could generate up to ₹25,000 crore annually for the government, Gadkari stated at the Global Fintech Fest in Mumbai.
FASTags have already increased toll booth income by 10%, from approximately ₹7,000 crore to over ₹82,000 crore. The barrier-free toll booths, currently in pilot phase, will contribute an additional 10%, generating ₹7,000-8,000 crore. Operational costs of toll booths have also decreased to 2-3% from earlier 12%. Over 70% of toll booths will be barrier-free by December, with full coverage by March 2027.
Vehicle owners benefit from reduced waiting times, saving around ₹5,250 crore in fuel costs per year. Gadkari urged the tech sector to develop solutions for detecting truck overloading. He also highlighted the need for increased transparency in the freight sector and mentioned that one operator has been booked by the Central Bureau of Investigation.
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