Delhi-Meerut Expressway toll rates to go up by 5% from April 1

Toll rates on the Delhi-Meerut Expressway will see an average 5% increase from April 1, 2026.

GHAZIABAD: National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has proposed an increase in the toll rate for 2026-27 on Delhi-Meerut Expressway (DME). The hike —whichis about 5% on average — will come into effect from midnight of April 1.Officials also said NHAI has done away with cash, as the toll can be paid only through FasTag or UPI mode. DME is an access-controlled expressway that can be accessed at seven places: Sarai Kale Khan, Indirapuram, Dundahera, Dasna, Rasoolpur Sikrod, Bhojpur and Kashi toll plaza.“As per the new rates, which vary based on the make of the vehicles, from Sarai Kale Khan to Meerut, which is about 82km, the new rates for one-way commuting for light vehicles — including cars, jeeps, vans or light motor vehicles — will be Rs 175, which was Rs 170.

The rates for a return journey will be Rs 265 and increase by Rs 10,” said an NHAI official.For light commercial vehicles, light goods vehicles, or minibuses, the one-way commuting on the same routes will be Rs 285 from Rs 275 earlier. The return journey will cost Rs 425 against Rs 415 earlier.“From Indirapuram to Meerut, the new rates for light vehicles will be Rs 120, up by Rs 5, and the return journey will now be Rs 189 from Rs 175.

Likewise, rates have been hiked for other kinds of vehicles, which include buses or trucks (two axles), MAV/three-axle vehicles, MAV 4-6 axle and oversized vehicles (seven or more axles),” said the official.DME and NH9 witness 398,000 PCU per day, with about 50,000 PCU on DME alone.NHAI has implemented “closed tolling” on this stretch, which necessitates all exits being equipped with FasTag readers so that commuters only pay for the actual distance travelled. Cameras have been installed at all entry and exit points of DME to calculate the distance travelled by any vehicle to work in combination with the tag readers.DME/NH9 was developed into four packages: 8.7km Sarai Kale Khan to UP Gate stretch was made operational in May 2018 and 22.2km Dasna to Hapur in Sept 2019. The other two stretches, 19.22km UP Gate to Dasna and 31.8km Dasna to Meerut, were formally opened in Nov 2021.DME is a six-lane expressway flanked by a four-lane NH9, which should be used for where two-wheelers and all kinds of vehicles are allowed. The permissible speed limit is 100 km/hour in UP and 70 km/hr in Delhi.