Lawyers not exempted from paying toll, clarifies NHAI

BENGALURU: The

National Highways Authority of India

(NHAI) on Thursday clarified that lawyers are not exempted from paying charges at toll plazas on highways across the country. The statement comes in the wake of a fake letter doing the rounds on social media, claiming lawyers can travel without paying toll on national highways.


The fake letter, dated December 3, addressed to city-based lawyer Ravi Gowda and purportedly issued by IAS officer and private secretary to the minister of road transport and highways, Sanket Bhondve, was circulated through several WhatsApp and other social media messaging groups.

It read: “I am directed to inform that lawyers of all the states in India are permanently exempted

from paying toll

charges in all tolls. Lawyers ID to be shown (sic).”

However, on Wednesday, NHAI said: “User fee collection on national highways is governed by NH fee rules. As per these rules, advocates are not exempted from paying user fee (toll) in NH fee plazas.”


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