Toll collection reaches 87% of pre-covid levels in July, recovery encouraging: ICRA

New Delhi: Toll collections across National Highways in the country reached 87% of pre-Covid levels during the second half of July, indicating encouraging signs of recovery, ratings agency ICRA said on Monday.

If the levels of toll collection is sustained, the overall reduction in toll collection could be less than 10% in FY 2021-- a positive for asset monetisation program of the National highways building authority.

Toll operations across National Highways in the country were halted on March 24 when the country went under a Covid-19 induced lockdown.


Post the resumption of tolling on national highways from April 20, 2020, the movement of commercial vehicles picked up significant pace over the last three months and has reached near 90% of pre-covid levels, ICRA said in a statement. The movement in passenger vehicles, however, is yet to recover fully.

The unabated rise in Covid-19 infections in the unlock phase, localised re-imposition of lockdowns in several states, and heavy monsoons in many parts of the country had interrupted this recovery in the first fortnight of July, ICRA said.

“Majority of the national highway stretches being arterial routes have 70-75% of toll collections from commercial vehicles, (while) passenger vehicles account for less than a quarter of toll collections,” Rajeshwar Burla, Vice President, Corporate Ratings, ICRA, was quoted as saying in the statement.

“While 90% of commercial vehicles are back on roads, the passenger vehicle movement is less than 60% of pre-covid levels. Overall, the traffic in 4M FY2021 has rebounded quite well, which is encouraging,” Burla added.