Toll time: Dwarka E-way free ride ends next week; check how much you will have to pay

Free travel on Dwarka Expressway will end next week as the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) starts toll collection at the Bijwasan plaza. Motorists using this 30-km stretch will now be required to pay a user fee based on the type of vehicle and travel distance.

According to the notified formula, a one-way trip for a car will cost around Rs 220, while a return journey will cost Rs 330. These rates apply to vehicles without a local monthly pass or a FASTag annual pass for personal use.

The Road Transport and Highways Ministry has officially notified the user fee formula for vehicles on Dwarka Expressway at Bijwasan and the Delhi-Gurgaon Expressway at Kherki Daula. The system ensures vehicles pay the correct toll based on their entry point and direction of travel.

Vehicles entering Bijwasan first pay the toll there, and no extra fee is charged at Kherki Daula in the same direction. Conversely, if Kherki Daula is crossed first, vehicles pay the difference at Bijwasan, preventing double toll charges for commuters.

Regular commuters using private vehicles can opt for a monthly local pass or an annual FASTag pass to avoid paying the full toll each trip. These passes are designed to provide convenience and cost savings for frequent travellers on the expressway.

The monthly local pass is available only to residents living within 20 km of a toll plaza. Users must submit proof of residence each month at the respective plaza to avail of this discount, ensuring that only eligible local commuters benefit from reduced toll rates.

Cab and taxi services will face higher costs as they are required to pay the full user fee for each trip. This increase in operating cost is likely to be passed on to passengers, making rides on Dwarka Expressway more expensive than before.

The Dwarka Expressway toll is high because 22 km of the 30-km stretch includes expensive structures like flyovers and tunnels. Toll norms convert these structures into a 150 km equivalent length to recover the higher construction costs compared to a normal highway.

The toll at Kherki Daula on the Delhi-Gurgaon Expressway has increased from Rs 80 to Rs 95 for cars. This revised rate accounts for the additional infrastructure such as flyovers included in the toll calculation under the government’s new notification.

FASTag annual passes can be purchased or renewed online and are accepted at all National Highway toll plazas. This allows private vehicle owners to travel across multiple highways seamlessly without stopping to pay tolls, offering convenience and faster commuting for frequent travellers.