Infrastructure
Farewell To Toll Booths: India To Introduce Satellite-Based Toll Collection System Soon
A toll collection booth. (Representative image)
Union Minister Nitin Gadkari has announced that old system of toll collection across India is going to end soon.
Government is introducing a satellite-based system aimed at slashing travel times and boosting efficiency.
Under this new system, toll charges will be determined by the distance travelled on highways, with funds automatically deducted from users' bank accounts.
The system is undergoing a trial phase on selected highway stretches before its nationwide deployment. The primary objective of this innovative system is to alleviate congestion at toll booths by entirely phasing out physical toll booths nationwide in the future.
Gadkari highlighted the potential for significant time and cost savings with this innovative approach. He noted that journeys like the Mumbai to Pune route, which previously took nine hours, can now be completed in just two hours, thanks to improved infrastructure and streamlined toll collection processes, reports Economic Times.
While some vehicle users appreciate the notion of toll collection based on the exact distance travelled, others have expressed privacy concerns, as the system tracks the precise location of vehicles.
Presently, the FASTag system facilitates toll payments electronically, drastically reducing waiting times at toll plazas. The implementation of FASTag has slashed average wait times from 714 seconds to just 47 seconds, marking a significant improvement in travel efficiency on national highways.
Additionally, there is an exploration of an alternative approach by NHAI, involving automatic number plate recognition cameras for tracking vehicle entry and exit, eliminating the need for GPS devices and allowing toll collection on the go.
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