IRC 43:1972 is the Indian Standard (IRC) for recommended practice for sizes and number of toll booths on highways. This IRC code outlines a systematic approach to size and determine the number of toll booths needed on highways. It considers factors like expected traffic volume, lane configuration, toll collection technology, and operational efficiency to ensure smooth traffic flow and minimize congestion. The code provides methodologies and data to assist highway authorities and engineers in designing toll plazas that cater to current and future traffic demands, thereby enhancing the user experience and optimizing revenue collection. Adherence to these recommendations is crucial for the successful and sustainable operation of toll-funded highway projects.
This IRC code provides guidelines for determining the optimal number and dimensions of toll booths required for efficient toll collection on highways. It aims to balance traffic flow with operational efficiency and user experience.
Key parameters for toll plaza design, including service rates, lane & booth dimensions, approach geometry, queue storage, and lighting levels.
| Reference | Value | Clause |
|---|---|---|
| Service Rate (Manual Collection)— Vehicles per hour per lane (vphpl). Lower end for mixed traffic. | 240-300 vphpl | Cl. 3.2 |
| Service Rate (Automatic Collection)— Using automatic coin/card machines. Pre-dates modern ETC. | 400-500 vphpl | Cl. 3.2 |
| Toll Lane Width— Wider lanes (3.5m) recommended for heavy commercial vehicles. | 3.0 m to 3.5 m | Cl. 4.3 |
| Toll Booth Width— External dimension of the operator's cabin. | 2.0 m to 2.5 m | Cl. 4.1 |
| Toll Booth Length— External dimension along the direction of traffic. | 4.0 m to 6.0 m | Cl. 4.1 |
| Toll Island Width— Accommodates booth, protective barriers, and staff access. | 2.5 m to 3.0 m | Cl. 4.2 |
| Toll Island Length (Min)— Minimum length of the raised platform. | 25 m | Cl. 4.2 |
| Protective Barrier Height (on Island)— Concrete barrier to protect the toll booth and operator. | 0.75 m | Cl. 4.2 |
| Vertical Clearance (Min)— Minimum clearance under the toll plaza canopy. | 5.0 m | Cl. 4.4 |
| Approach Taper Rate— Rate of widening from highway carriageway to toll plaza width. | 1 in 15 to 1 in 20 | Cl. 5.2.1 |
| Approach Transition Length (Min)— Minimum length for deceleration and lane transition. | 60 m | Cl. 5.2.1 |
| Straight Length Before Booths (Min)— Allows vehicles to align correctly with their chosen toll lane. | 30 m | Cl. 5.2.2 |
| Straight Length After Booths (Min)— Allows vehicles to clear the booth before merging. | 30 m | Cl. 5.2.3 |
| Exit Transition Length (Min)— Minimum length for acceleration and merging back to the highway. | 60 m | Cl. 5.2.3 |
| Queue Storage Length (Typical)— Based on accommodating 10-15 queued vehicles per lane. | 90 m | Cl. 5.2.2 |
| Level of Service Factor 'K' (1 Booth)— For 50% capacity utilisation (Traffic Intensity = 0.5). | 0.50 | Cl. 3.3 (Table 1) |
| Level of Service Factor 'K' (2 Booths)— For 50% capacity utilisation (Traffic Intensity = 0.25 per booth). | 0.67 | Cl. 3.3 (Table 1) |
| Level of Service Factor 'K' (4 Booths)— For 50% capacity utilisation (Traffic Intensity = 0.125 per booth). | 0.80 | Cl. 3.3 (Table 1) |
| Illumination Level (Toll Collection Area)— Higher intensity lighting for safety and visibility at the point of transaction. | 30-50 lux | Cl. 6.1 |
| Illumination Level (General Plaza Area)— Lighting for approach, exit, and surrounding areas. | 10-15 lux | Cl. 6.1 |
| Advance Warning Sign (1st)— First sign indicating 'TOLL PLAZA 1 KM'. | 1 km ahead | Cl. 8.1 |
| Advance Warning Sign (2nd)— Second sign indicating 'TOLL PLAZA 500 M'. | 500 m ahead | Cl. 8.1 |
IRC 43:1972 specifies the recommended practice for sizes and number of toll booths on highways — the geometric layout, capacity sizing, and operational design of toll plazas. Although issued in 1972, the principles remain valid as the technical baseline; modern NHAI / state toll plaza specifications have evolved with electronic toll collection (FASTag) but build on IRC 43's foundational layout philosophy.
Use IRC 43 (and modern NHAI updates) when planning: - New toll plaza on national highway / state highway - Toll plaza upgrade (manual to electronic / FASTag-only) - Toll plaza capacity expansion (lane addition) - BOT (Build-Operate-Transfer) project toll plaza design - Concession-agreement toll booth specifications
Modern context — FASTag (since 2017+): NHAI now mandates electronic toll collection via FASTag (RFID-based). Most lanes at modern toll plazas are FASTag-only; manual / cash payment lanes are reduced to 1-2 per direction. This dramatically changes capacity per lane (FASTag can process 100+ vehicles/hour vs manual 30-40), enabling toll plazas to be smaller than IRC 43 1972 era required.
IRC 43 remains a useful reference for: - Geometric layout (lane widths, divider islands, transition zones) - Booth physical sizing - Pavement design at toll plaza throats (rigid pavement preferred — high braking / acceleration loads) - Drainage at toll plaza (large impervious area) - Lighting + signage requirements - Safety provisions (pedestrian crossing for collectors, barriers, refuges)
1. Approach roadway: - Gradual lane addition (one through lane → 4-8 lanes at toll plaza) - Speed reduction signage at 1000 m, 500 m, 200 m, 100 m - Speed limit reduced to 30-40 km/h at plaza - Acceleration / deceleration zones for FASTag lanes
2. Toll booth: - Width: 3.5 m (cabin width) - Length: 5-8 m (deep enough for collector + cash drawer + signage) - Height: 2.5 m clear (allows truck cab to align with collector window) - Air-conditioned, weatherproof (collectors work 8-hour shifts) - Lighting at night for visibility
3. Lane geometry: - Lane width: 3.5 m (same as carriageway) - Centre-to-centre booth spacing: 3.5 m - Approach taper: 1:30 to 1:50 (depending on speed) - Exit taper: 1:30 to 1:50 - Total plaza length (including approaches): 200-400 m typical
4. Median / divider islands: - Between booths for safety - 1.5-2.0 m wide minimum - Provide pedestrian refuge for collectors crossing between booths - Plinth-mounted booth (raised) protects collector from vehicle strike
5. Signage: - Lane assignment signs (manual / FASTag / overweight / exempt) - Toll rate display - 'Stop' / 'Slow' indicator at booth approach - Variable message signs for traffic conditions
6. Lighting: - High-mast lighting over plaza - Booth-specific lighting (collector visibility) - Approach lighting (driver visibility from 100 m)
7. Surveillance: - CCTV cameras at every lane (vehicle ID, evidence for disputes) - Number plate recognition for FASTag verification - Operator supervisor station with screens
Lane capacity (vehicles per hour):
| Lane type | Capacity | |---|---| | Manual / cash | 30-40 vph | | Smart card (older) | 60-80 vph | | FASTag / RFID | 100-200 vph (typical 150) | | Electronic toll lane (open road tolling) | 1000+ vph (no stopping) |
Number of lanes per direction (per IRC 43 + modern NHAI guidance):
| Peak-hour AADT | Number of lanes (per direction) | |---|---| | < 500 vph | 2 lanes (1 manual + 1 FASTag) | | 500-1000 vph | 3 lanes (1 manual + 2 FASTag) | | 1000-2000 vph | 4-5 lanes (1 manual + 3-4 FASTag) | | 2000-3000 vph | 6-7 lanes (1 manual + 5-6 FASTag) | | > 3000 vph | 8+ lanes (1 manual + 7+ FASTag) |
Spacing between toll plazas: - Minimum 60 km between consecutive plazas on same NH (NHAI policy, post 2017) - Some sections grandfather older closer plazas
Pavement design at plaza throat: - Rigid PQC (IRC:58:2015 + IRC 15:2017) at all lanes — 250-300 mm slab - High braking / acceleration loads cause rapid flexible pavement failure - Even on otherwise-flexible-pavement highway, throat is rigid
Throat geometry: - Plaza centerline aligned with main road centerline - Smooth approach + exit transitions (no sudden lane changes) - Adequate sight distance to plaza (per IRC:66:1976)
Approach speed reduction: - 100 km/h (highway) to 30-40 km/h (plaza) over ~500 m - Speed-restriction signage at 1000 m, 500 m, 200 m, 100 m
Distance from interchange: - Toll plaza ≥ 500 m downstream of any exit ramp (avoid backup onto exit) - Toll plaza ≥ 1000 m upstream of any entry ramp (allow speed re-acceleration)
1. Toll plaza too close to exit / entry ramp. Backup at plaza extends onto ramp, secondary collisions; merging traffic conflicts. Maintain ≥ 500 m / 1000 m setbacks. 2. Insufficient lanes for peak demand. Long queues, congestion, public complaint, court orders to reduce or remove tolls. Size for 90th-percentile peak hour. 3. Mix of manual + FASTag without clear signage. Drivers confused, last-minute lane change, accidents. Clear lane-assignment signs from 200 m advance. 4. Pavement at throat designed flexible. Premature rutting, cracking under repeated braking / acceleration. Always rigid pavement at throat. 5. No deceleration / acceleration zones for FASTag. FASTag-equipped vehicles can pass at 30+ km/h; manual lanes must stop. Without proper transitions, conflicts at lane interface. 6. Inadequate lighting. Night collectors cannot see vehicles clearly; drivers cannot see lane signage. Comprehensive lighting essential. 7. No pedestrian refuge for collectors. Collectors crossing between booths during shift change risk being struck. Mandatory refuge islands. 8. No CCTV / surveillance. Disputes (was payment made? did vehicle run through?) impossible to resolve. CCTV mandatory at each lane. 9. Drainage neglected at impervious area. Rainwater pools, hydroplaning hazard for braking vehicles. Cross-drainage + side drains essential. 10. No speed-restriction signage. Drivers approach at 100 km/h, sudden brake to 30 km/h, rear-end collisions. Multi-stage speed reduction signage. 11. Toll booths too small for ergonomic working. Collectors fatigue, errors, slower processing. Modern AC, ergonomic booth design improves throughput. 12. Inadequate safety barriers between traffic and booth. Out-of-control vehicle strikes booth, collector fatality. Concrete barriers + crash cushions per IRC:99:2018. 13. No FASTag/cashless infrastructure. Bottleneck at every plaza; significant congestion + delay. Modern NHAI mandates ≥ 75 % FASTag lanes.
BOT toll plaza project cascade:
1. Concession agreement — defines toll rates, plaza locations, capacity requirements, technology (FASTag), payment to NHAI / state. 2. Site survey — alignment relative to interchange / town / drainage; topography; land acquisition. 3. Capacity sizing: - Project peak-hour traffic - Lane mix (FASTag vs manual) - Service rate per lane type - Number of lanes per direction 4. Geometric design: - Approach + exit transitions - Lane assignments - Booth + median islands - Drainage + lighting + signage 5. Pavement design — rigid PQC at throat (IRC:58 + IRC 15); flexible elsewhere (IRC:37 + IRC:111). 6. Structural design — booth structure, weighbridge if applicable, overhead canopy. 7. Electrical + ICT design — FASTag readers, CCTV, fibre optic, control room. 8. Construction — typically 6-9 months for new plaza on existing road. 9. Operations + maintenance: - 24/7 toll collection operations - FASTag system maintenance - Periodic rebalancing of manual vs FASTag lane mix - Pavement + structure maintenance - Toll rate revisions per concession schedule 10. End-of-concession transfer — handed back to NHAI / state at end of concession period (typically 15-30 years).
Modern challenges: - Dynamic pricing per congestion (variable toll) - Open road tolling (no stopping at all — multi-lane gantry) - Inter-operability across states (NETC — National Electronic Toll Collection) - Complaint resolution (overcharge, missing transactions) - Court orders affecting concessions (Bombay HC vs MMRDA toll cases)
IRC 43:1972 set the geometric foundation; modern toll plazas combine its principles with FASTag and surveillance technology to deliver high-throughput, low-friction toll collection.
| Parameter | IS Value | International | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lane Width | |||
| Peak Hour Factor (PHF) | |||
| Lane Capacity (Manual) | |||
| Lane Capacity (ETC) |