Karnataka collects Rs 11,112.31 crore in toll revenue through FASTag in three years
New Delhi: Karnataka has collected Rs 11,112.31 crore in toll revenue through FASTag transactions over the last three financial years, reflecting the growing adoption of electronic toll collection across National Highways in the state, The Hindu reported on Monday.
According to data provided by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, the state collected Rs 3,049.09 crore in 2022-23. The amount rose to Rs 3,839.14 crore in 2023-24 and further increased to Rs 4,224.08 crore in 2024-25.
Replying to an unstarred question by MP G. C. Chandrashekhar in the Rajya Sabha on February 11, Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari said that Electronic Toll Collection (ETC) now accounts for more than 98% of user fee collection across the country, including Karnataka. The figures indicate near-universal use of FASTag at toll plazas, significantly reducing cash transactions.
The Minister explained that FASTag payments are processed through a secure system involving the Toll Management System Software at toll plazas, the acquiring bank, the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) acting as the central clearing house, and the FASTag issuer bank. No transaction can be completed without the participation of all three stakeholders. Each toll deduction is communicated to the user and recorded in a central repository, ensuring transparency and accountability in toll operations.
To prevent toll evasion and revenue leakage, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) issued a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) on January 25, 2024. The SOP mandates surprise inspections and regular monitoring to ensure all transactions are processed only through the Toll Management System Software.
On toll revisions, Minister Gadkari clarified that user fees are collected under the National Highways Fee (Determination of Rates and Collection) Rules, 2008. Rates at publicly funded toll plazas are revised annually based on changes in the Wholesale Price Index (WPI). In contrast, toll plazas operated by concessionaires revise rates in accordance with the terms specified in their concession agreements.
He said that toll charges may also increase if the tolling length under a plaza is expanded. Fees vary by vehicle category, with cars, jeeps and vans paying the lowest rates, while multi-axle heavy vehicles are charged higher fees in proportion to road usage, and the wear and tear they cause.
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'Grew up in a family where women were bosses': Rahul tells students
New Delhi (PTI): "I grew up in a family where the women were the bosses," Congress leader Rahul Gandhi told students during an interaction in Kerala recently, while asserting that women are generally more intelligent than men.
On International Women's Day, Gandhi posted a video of his interaction with the students on his YouTube channel on Sunday and said that a few days ago, he met some young women students in Kerala during a lunch interaction and had a very interesting conversation with them.
"I was deeply impressed by each student's dreams, curiosity, and confidence. Such conversations remind us that when women recognise their potential and move forward with an open mind, they can bring about extraordinary change," the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha said.
"Every woman is unique. Their sensitivity, understanding, and emotional intelligence provide balance and direction to society. Women also wield power in their own unique ways - with patience, long-term vision, and empathy," Gandhi asserted in his post in Hindi, accompanying the video.
"Therefore, they should have every right to move forward according to their identity, personality, and aspirations, rather than being bound by society's restrictive norms," he said.
"Heartiest greetings to all women on International Women's Day. May your strength, courage, and dreams continue to propel society toward a positive future," Gandhi said.
Posting the video on X, Gandhi said interacting with some young students in Kerala was incredibly inspiring.
"Their confidence and belief in their dreams demonstrate that women are the ultimate force for change," he said.
In the video, Gandhi is seen having a free-wheeling chat with the women students.
"I grew up in a family where the women were the bosses. So the boss of my family was my grandmother and I have always in my family, like on this table, been outnumbered by women," Gandhi tells the students.
"Women are generally more intelligent than men for the most part. Men are in a hurry and men get blinded by silly things.Women think longer term, they don't apply direct power they apply indirect power, it is more effective," he says.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge shared on X a quote by BR Ambedkar on gender equality - "You are not born to suffer. You are born to rise"
"Women are not merely participants in development. They are its driving force. Through their wisdom, resilience, compassion, and determination, women strengthen communities, and build stronger nations," Kharge said on X.
"On International Women's Day 2026, we celebrate the courage, leadership, and countless contributions of women everywhere. True progress will come when equality is not an aspiration, but a lived reality for every woman," the Congress chief said.
Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra also greeted women on International Women's Day.
"On this Women's Day, may every woman realise her strength, her rights and her power to shape the future. You matter. Your voice matters. Your dreams matter," she said on X.
केरल में कुछ युवा छात्राओं के साथ हुई बातचीत बेहद प्रेरणादायक रही।
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) March 8, 2026
उनका आत्मविश्वास और सपनों पर विश्वास बताता है - महिलाएँ बदलाव की सबसे बड़ी शक्ति हैं।
सभी को #InternationalWomensDay की हार्दिक शुभकामनाएँ। pic.twitter.com/OV2fvth1rB
