The Punjab government has taken a significant step aimed at reducing daily expenses for citizens and reshaping how people experience travel across the state. Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann recently confirmed that 18 toll plazas have been permanently shut down, describing them as “shops openly looting the common public” which previous administrations had allowed to operate unchecked.
According to government data, the closures translate into savings of nearly sixty one lakh rupees every day for commuters and households. “Removing toll plazas is a significant step toward providing economic relief to the people. This will make traffic on roads smooth and hassle-free,” Public Works Department Minister Harbjahan Singh ETO stated. He also pointed out that tolls on more than five hundred kilometres of state highways have now been abolished under the present government’s tenure.
The closures cover major routes such as Tanda-Hoshiarpur Road, Balachaur-Garhshankar-Hoshiarpur-Dasuya Road, the high-level Makkhu bridge, the Samana-Patiaran stretch in Patiala, the Fazilka-Firozpur Highway, and the Ludhiana-Malerkotla-Sangrur corridor. The largest single saving comes from the shutdown of Ladda and Ahmadgarh toll plazas, which together reduce daily costs by thirteen lakh rupees.
For citizens, the change is more than financial. Many described the moment the plazas shut down as the clearing of a long-standing burden. “We say this is not just about closing toll gates but about ending an era of injustice,” Chief Minister Mann said. “Our government is of service, not loot, and this decision has reached the hearts of the people.”
Officials argue that the policy also represents a deeper shift in governance. By ending what the Chief Minister called “the era of renting out roads,” the government seeks to emphasise accountability to citizens rather than reliance on private interests. Supporters of the move say it demonstrates that public welfare has been placed above corporate profits.
The closures have sparked discussion about whether this marks a new phase of development in Punjab. For the Mann government, however, the decision carries symbolic weight as well as economic benefit. “This is not only about smoother traffic or saving money,” said Mann, “it is about trust. When people drive on these roads now, they feel this government truly belongs to them.”
