NationalSaturday, 21 March 2026·https://testbook.com/current-affairs/21-march-2026-daily-current-affairs
National Highways Fee Rules 2026 notified to tighten toll compliance and e-notice recovery
The government notified amended National Highways Fee Rules 2026 effective 17 March 2026 to enforce unpaid toll recovery through digital notices.
Key highlights
Direct fact
On 17 March 2026, the Government of India notified the National Highways Fee (Determination of Rates and Collection) (Second Amendment) Rules, 2026 to strengthen digital toll enforcement and barrier-free tolling.
Key specifics
- The rules introduce the term “unpaid user fee” for tolls recorded by Electronic Toll Collection (ETC) but not paid.
- e-Notices will be sent through SMS, email or mobile apps with vehicle details, location and amount due.
- The NETC system will be integrated with the VAHAN database for vehicle identification.
- If paid within 72 hours of the notice, only the original toll amount is payable; otherwise the fee is twice the applicable toll.
- Unpaid dues beyond 15 days may be updated in VAHAN, and representations must be disposed of within 5 days.
Exam lens
Polity and governance, National Highways Fee Rules 2026, 17 March 2026, NETC-VAHAN integration, 72 hours, 15 days — TNPSC may ask the new term, payment window, and database linkage.