The world’s largest democracy is actively executing its plans to get closer to its growth and development.
In December 2023, Union Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari announced its intentions to significantly change the toll collection system to a GPS-based system across the nation by March 2024.
The recent mention of the same showcases that the National Highways Authority of India upholds this change.
The minister has revealed that the current FASTag toll system will be replaced by a satellite-based toll collection system wherein the required amount will be deducted from the bank accounts. The amount will be calculated according to the distance travelled.
Workings of the system
As mentioned earlier, the system will resonate with the current, short-lived FASTag system.
However, instead of a FASTag ID affixed on the vehicles, the number plate of the vehicle will be scanned. The scanning will be facilitated by cameras affixed on highways.
The vehicles will be in motion and won’t have to come to a halt. It is said that the system will use GPS coordinates to zero down on the vehicle and track the necessary details to automatically deduct the amount owed.
Advantages of the system
Evidently, the waiting time to pay the toll will be streamlined. Consequently, reducing the travel time. As stated by Nitin Gadkari, “Earlier, the travel time was seven hours between Mumbai-Pune. Now, it has been reduced to two hours”. The new system will bring down the time to 47 seconds, approximately from the current average of 714 seconds.
Further, many other countries have implemented this system owing to its efficiency. For instance, Europe, Germany, Russia etc.
