Toll collections from highways and expressways have increased rapidly in recent years. Consequently, it is believed that toll revenues could surpass the ₹1 lakh crore mark for the first time in the coming years.

Toll Tax Revenue: India's network of national highways and expressways is continuously expanding. Along with this, the government's revenue from toll collection is also setting new records every year. This can be gauged from the fact that in recent years, toll collection has increased rapidly due to highway infrastructure, digital systems like FASTag, and traffic. This is why it is believed that in the coming years, toll revenue may surpass the Rs 1 lakh crore mark for the first time. So, let us now tell you how much the Indian government earns from tolls each year and where this money is spent.

This is how much collection has happened in the last few years.

According to government data, toll collections from national highways and expressways across the country totaled ₹61,408 crore in fiscal year 2024-25. This figure is projected to reach approximately ₹75,000 crore in fiscal year 2025-26. The government believes that toll collections will increase further in the next few years with the implementation of new highways, expressways, and technology-based toll systems.

Earning more than Rs 168 crore every day

According to information provided by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways in Parliament, by June 2025, a total of 1,087 toll plazas will be operating in the country. These include 700 government-owned and 387 private sector toll plazas. These toll plazas generate an average daily collection of over ₹168 crore. According to the government, total toll collections from national highways and expressways over the past five financial years have been approximately ₹2.27 lakh crore. This clearly demonstrates that tolls have become a major source of revenue for road infrastructure.

Where is the toll money spent?

People often wonder where the money paid at toll plazas goes. According to the central government, tolls are not merely a means of recovering the cost of road construction; rather, they are a fee charged for the use of roads. Revenue from tolls is deposited into the central government's Consolidated Fund. This money is then used for the construction of national highways, road widening and repair, new expressways, bridges, flyovers, and other road infrastructure projects. Additionally, the proceeds from cesses levied on petrol and diesel go to the Central Road and Infrastructure Fund, which is used for the development of roads, railway overbridges, rural roads, bridges, and airports.

Which toll plaza earns the most?

The Bharthana toll plaza, located on the Vadodara-Bharuch section of Gujarat, ranks first among the country's highest-earning toll plazas. Between fiscal years 2019-20 and 2023-24, this toll plaza generated revenue of over ₹2,043 crore. The Shahjahanpur toll plaza in Rajasthan followed in second place, while the Jaladhulagori toll plaza in West Bengal came in third.