PATNA, July 8 -- The state road construction department (RCD) has issued a formal notification, envisaging user charges - commonly referred to as toll taxes - on state highways, major district roads (MDRs) and key bridges. The notification, issued late Monday, is in line with the rules approved by the state cabinet earlier this week under CM Samrat Choudhary. It marks Bihar's first comprehensive framework for levying fees on state-owned roads and bridges to recover maintenance and development costs, said the officials. Choudhary, however, on Tuesday clarified that the toll tax would be levied only on commercial vehicles and private vehicles would be exempted. As per Road User Fee Rules, 2026, user charge has been defined in accordance with road width and vehicle category. Roads narrower than 5.5 metres are exempted from tolls, as are certain urban stretches and lower-category district roads. Higher rates will apply to multi-lane highways and major bridges. The notification stipulates light motor vehicles (cars, jeeps & vans) will be liable to pay toll tax at Rs.1.25 per kilometre, while light commercial vehicles would be charged around Rs.2 per kilometre. Heavy vehicles such as trucks and buses are expected to pay Rs.6.65 per kilometre, and the higher-capacity vehicles are deemed to pay a user charge of Rs.8.10 per kilometre. The collection will be made through digital collection platforms like FASTag and other electronic modes for transparency. Vehicles without FASTag will have to pay higher charges, while overloaded vehicles will attract fines. The rules envisage issuance of annual pass on payment of a certain amount, exemptions or concessional passes for local and frequent users and multiple-trip facilities. The government has justified the move by citing rapid infrastructure growth - including new highways, bypasses and iconic bridges such as the JP Ganga Path and the Kacchi Dargah-Bidupur bridge over the Ganga - which are not just cost intensive but also improved connectivity but require sustainable funding for upkeep. A senior RCD officer said they would modify the tax collection regime in light of CM's announcement, as existing rules do not allow exception of private vehicles. "The starting date for actual toll collection has been announced," he said, adding it will follow a detailed assessment of vehicle load on targeted roads....