Toll collections on national highways hit an all-time high of Rs 6,640 crore in October. This showed a 16% increase from October 2025. Cash payments fell as digital options grew, with UPI payments reaching Rs 100 crore. Officials said, "End of cash transaction will eliminate any scope of malpractices."
Toll collection on national highways in October reached approximately Rs 6,640 crore, an all-time high. This figure represents a 16% increase compared to Rs 5,715 crore collected in October 2025. Additionally, cash transactions declined significantly, while payments through the Unified Payments Interface surged to Rs 100 crore. The Indian government is promoting digital payments, aiming to phase out cash for tolls entirely.
Toll collections across India's national highways and expressways hit a record Rs 6,640 crore in October, reflecting increased vehicle movement across the country's road network, reported TOI.
The payment mix also saw a sharp shift, with cash toll collections falling to just Rs 4 crore in October from Rs 84 crore a year earlier. In contrast, collections through the Unified Payments Interface (UPI) rose to around Rs 100 crore during the month, compared with zero a year ago.
According to the officials, the stricter monitoring was being carried out to ensure that cash is completely phased out as a mode of toll payment. "End of cash transaction will eliminate any scope of malpractices. More people are also opting for FASTag Annual Passes, which is a good sign," an official told TOI. Growing adoption of electronic toll collection has reduced dependence on cash at toll plazas. The rise in UPI payments also indicates the gradual expansion of digital payment options for highway users.
India's toll volume fell in the first six months of the current financial year while the rise in toll value moderated significantly from previous years, with experts attributing the trend to the introduction of the annual pass in 2025, reported ET Bureau. Government data shows toll volume fell 5.2% to 2.13 billion in the April-September period from 2.25 billion in the corresponding period last year.
Toll revenue rose 6.27% to Rs 42,971.82 crore from Rs 40,433.53 crore in the same period of 2025-26, a much slower pace of growth than in previous years. The number of toll transactions in 2025-26 stood at 4.45 billion, up 5.67% from 4.21 billion in the preceding year. Toll revenue generated in 2025-26 was 13.67% higher at Rs 82,900.61 crore, compared with Rs 72,930.83 crore.