Publication of amendment in NH Fee Rules 2008

REGD. No. D. L.-33004/99 The Gazette of India CG-DL-E-18032026-271032 EXTRAORDINARY PART II-Section 3-Sub-section (i) PUBLISHED BY AUTHORITY No. 185] NEW DELHI, TUESDAY, MARCH 17, 2026/PHALGUNA 26, 1947 [F. No. H-25016/06/2025-Toll (E-262154)] Ministry of Road Transport and Highways NOTIFICATION New Delhi, the 17th March, 2026 G.S.R. 191(E). — In exercise of the powers conferred by section 9 of the National Highways Act, 1956 (48 of 1956), the Central Government hereby makes the following rules further to amend the National Highways Fee (Determination of Rates and Collection) Rules, 2008, namely: – 1. Short title and commencement. (1) These rules may be called the National Highways Fee (Determination of Rates and Collection) (Second Amendment) Rules, 2026. (2) They shall come into force on the date of their publication in the Official Gazette. 2. In the National Highways Fee (Determination of Rates and Collection) Rules, 2008 (hereinafter referred to as the said rules), in rule 2, in sub-rule (1), after clause (n), the following clause shall be inserted, namely:- '(o) "unpaid user fee" means the user fee payable by a motor vehicle for use of a section of a National Highway, where the Electronic Toll Collection Infrastructure has recorded the passage of such vehicle but has not received the applicable user fee levied under these rules.'. 3. In the said rules, in rule 14, after sub-rule (2), the following sub-rules shall be inserted, namely:- '(2A) For the purposes of giving effect to sub-rule (2), unpaid user fee shall be recovered from the owner of the mechanical vehicle in the following manner, namely :- (a) electronic notice (hereinafter referred to as the “e-notice") shall be issued specifying the details of the vehicle, the date and location of occurrence, and the amount of unpaid user fee payable, in the name of the owner of the vehicle as available in the National Vehicle Registry (VAHAN); (b) e-notice may be served by electronic means including Short Message Service (SMS), electronic mail (e- mail), mobile-based messaging applications, or through such other electronic mode as may be specified by the Central Government, and may also be served in physical form; (c) e-notice shall be made available on online portal to be specified by the Central Government for this purpose; (d) the Central Government or its executing authority may undertake technical and system integration of the National Electronic Toll Collection system with the National Vehicle Registry (VAHAN) as may be necessary for the purposes of enforcement measures, and realisation of such unpaid user fee. (2B) The unpaid user fee payable in pursuance of an e-notice issued under sub-rule (2A) shall be an amount equal to two times the user fee applicable to the concerned category of vehicle, as specified under sub-rule (2) of rule 4, and shall be paid through electronic mode or through such other mode of payment, as may be specified by the Central Government from time to time: Provided that where the unpaid user fee is paid within seventy-two hours from the time of issuance of the e- notice, the amount payable shall be limited to the user fee applicable to the concerned category of vehicle, as specified under sub-rule (2) of rule 4. (2C) Any owner or driver of a mechanical vehicle aggrieved by an e-notice may, within seventy-two hours from the time of issuance thereof, submit a representation through the designated electronic portal. (2D) Where a representation has been submitted under sub-rule (2C), the executing authority or the concessionaire, as the case may be, shall examine and dispose of such representation and communicate its decision to the registered owner by electronic means within five days from the date of receipt of such representation: Provided that, in case the representation not disposed of on the expiry of five days from the date of receipt of representation, then the claim of the executing authority or concessionaire to the unpaid user fee shall cease. (2E) If the owner or driver of a mechanical vehicle fails to pay the unpaid user fee within fifteen days from the date of the issuance of the e-notice and no representation made under sub-rule (2C) is pending, the amount of unpaid user fee under sub-rule (2B) recoverable from the vehicle owner shall be posted onto the National Vehicle Registry (VAHAN); and such restrictions may be imposed on the services provided in respect of the such vehicle through VAHAN, as may be specified by the Central Government, until the unpaid user fee is paid.'. [F. No. H-25016/06/2025-Toll (E-262154)] CHETNA NAND SINGH, Jt. Secy. Note: The principal rules were published in the Gazette of India, Extraordinary, Part II, Section 3, Sub-section (i) vide notification number G.S.R. 838 (E) dated the 5th December, 2008, and were subsequently amended vide numbers G.S.R. 950(E), dated the 3rd December, 2010; G.S.R. 15(E), dated the 12th January, 2011; G.S.R. 756(E), dated the 12th October, 2011; G.S.R. 778(E), dated the 16th December, 2013; G.S.R. 26(E), dated the 16th January, 2014; G.S.R. 831(E), dated the 21st November, 2014; G.S.R. 2(E), dated the 29th December, 2014; G.S.R. 220(E), dated the 23rd March, 2015; G.S.R. 585(E), dated the 8th June, 2016; G.S.R. 1114(E), dated the 2nd December, 2016; G.S.R. 248(E), dated the 14th March, 2017; G.S.R. 427(E), dated the 7th May, 2018; G.S.R. 920(E), dated the 25th September, 2018; G.S.R. 942(E), dated the 20th December, 2019; G.S.R. 298(E), dated the 15th May, 2020; G.S.R. 523(E), dated the 24th August, 2020 and G.S.R. 804(E), dated the 30th December, 2020; G.S.R 467 (E) dated the 24th June, 2022; G.S.R 725 (E), dated the 6th October, 2023; G.S.R 556 (E), dated the 9th September, 2024; G.S.R. 388 (E) dated the 17th June, 2025; G.S.R. 437 (E) dated the 1st July, 2025; G.S.R. 734 (E) dated the 3rd October, 2025; G.S.R. 01 (E) dated the 31st December, 2025 and G.S.R. 107 (E) dated the 4th February, 2026.