All national highway toll booths to go barrier-free by March 2027: Gadkari
Nitin Gadkari says every toll booth on national highways will be barrier-free by March 2027, with over 70% covered by December this year.
Every toll booth on India's national highways will operate without barriers by March 2027, Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari said on Friday, September 11, 2026, while speaking at the Global Fintech Fest in Mumbai.
Mr. Gadkari said the transition is already under way, with more than 70% of booths expected to become barrier-free by the end of December this year and full coverage targeted by March next year.
The minister linked the shift to the wider adoption of FASTag, the electronic toll collection system, which he said could eventually deliver ₹20,000–25,000 crore in annual benefits to the Government of India once the system is fully live.
He noted that FASTag has already lifted toll revenue from roughly ₹7,000 crore to more than ₹82,000 crore, a gain of about 10%. The barrier-free model now being piloted is expected to add a further 10%, translating to ₹7,000–8,000 crore.
Operational costs at toll booths have also fallen sharply, from around 12% earlier to 2–3%, the minister said.
Motorists stand to gain as well, he added, citing studies that estimate savings of over ₹5,250 crore a year in fuel costs alone, alongside reduced waiting times at plazas.
Addressing technologists at the event, Mr. Gadkari urged the sector to develop solutions for detecting overloading of trucks. He also said the country's freight sector lacks transparency and that he would work to address the issue, adding that the Central Bureau of Investigation has booked one of the operators.