The Union Minister stated that the average waiting time at toll plazas in 2020-21 and 2021-22 will be shorter...
Digital Desk: In a significant development, Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari stated that a GPS-based toll collection system will be implemented by March 2024.
He stated that the government will implement new technology, such as a GPS-based toll collection system, by March of next year to replace existing toll plazas on highways.
The goal would be to reduce traffic congestion by charging people solely for the travelling distance.
According to the Union Minister, the government has also performed two pilot projects of automatic number plate recognition systems (automatic number plate reader cameras) to enable automated toll collection without stopping cars.
He also stated that after implementing the Fastag system, the average waiting time at toll plazas decreased to 47 seconds in 2020-21 and 2021-22, down from 8 minutes in 2018-19.
Although there has been a significant reduction in wait times at specific places, particularly in cities and in densely populated towns, there are still some delays at toll plazas during peak hours.
Meanwhile, Gadkari stated that the government will bid out road projects worth Rs 1.5-2 lakh crore using the Build Operate Transfer (BOT) model for highway projects smaller than 1,000 km in length before the Model Code of Conduct is implemented for the general elections next year.
Continue Reading
