Desk note · industry · Infrastructure / travel
Festive travel pushed IRB’s highway toll collections up 24% in September
IRB Group said gross toll revenue reached ₹773 crore in September 2026, up from ₹622 crore a year earlier. The Mumbai-Pune expressway and Ahmedabad-Vadodara routes led the gain as Navaratri traffic picked up.
- •September 2026 gross toll revenue: ₹773 crore, up 24% year on year.
- •Mumbai-Pune expressway collections rose to ₹162.1 crore.
- •Management expects Navaratri and Diwali traffic to support the next two months.
What's going on here?
On 9 October 2026, IRB Infrastructure reported that gross toll revenue across its highway portfolio reached ₹773 crore in September 2026, up 24% from ₹622 crore in September 2025. Wholly owned subsidiaries grew 17% on a like-for-like basis. The Mumbai-Pune expressway collected ₹162.1 crore versus ₹139.6 crore a year ago. Ahmedabad-Vadodara and Hyderabad outer ring assets also posted higher monthly receipts. Management linked the lift to economic activity and the start of the festive travel season.
What does this mean?
Toll receipts are a blunt read on wheeled trips: goods trucks, inter-city cars, and holiday buses. A September jump ahead of Navaratri and Diwali fits the pattern seen in other discretionary data this week, where people still spend when the occasion is clear. Not every road in the portfolio grew; a few mature assets were flat or slightly down, which is normal when comparing overlapping construction phases.
Why should I care?
If you track consumer demand, highway cash registers are a ground-level check beyond mall footfall surveys. If you invest in road operators or InvITs, one strong month does not reset traffic risk from fuel prices or monsoon disruptions. Watch October and November collections for confirmation that festive traffic sustained, and whether newer assets added in 2026 keep ramping without cannibalising older routes.
More desk notes
Telecom / IPO
Jio Platforms’ IPO filled its retail quota on the second day of bidding
On 22 October 2026, exchange data showed Jio Platforms’ ₹30,213 crore issue had drawn about ₹3.73 lakh crore of total bids by late evening on Day 2, with the retail portion oversubscribed and market commentators citing diverted cash from other listed stocks during the book build.
SEBI / market infrastructure
SEBI wants exchanges to invest in related businesses without case-by-case approval
On 22 October 2026, the Securities and Exchange Board of India proposed letting stock exchanges and depositories fund core-market and regulator-mandated initiatives without prior approval for each ticket, while keeping board oversight and financial safeguards and inviting comments until 12 November.
E-commerce / food delivery
Flipkart is piloting a food delivery service for thousands of Bengaluru staff
On 22 October 2026, reporting said Flipkart is testing an internal food delivery product called Eat-in by Minutes with more than 8,000 employees in Bengaluru, using Ekart logistics as it prepares to compete with Zomato and Swiggy in meal delivery.
Digital trust / compliance
eMudhra’s board voted to leave the global website certificate business
On 22 October 2026, eMudhra Ltd said its board will voluntarily withdraw from the global SSL/TLS certificate segment after a key-security incident on eight intermediate certificates, citing compliance cost and weak economics while stressing that other digital-trust services continue.
For informational purposes only. Not investment advice. Verify with filings and a licensed adviser.