GPS Toll Collection: The central government is planning to start GPS-based toll collection on 5 to 10 highways in the country from next month i.e. February. This method of toll collection is going to be more efficient.
GPS Toll Collection
The central government is planning to start GPS-based toll collection on 5 to 10 highways in the country from next month i.e. February. This method of toll collection is going to be more efficient.
The new system will accumulate existing toll FASTag platform history. Roads Secretary Anurag Jain in the Ministry of Roads said that it will be tested on limited highways before implementing it across the country.
Toll will be deducted from the moving vehicle
Ministry of Roads and Transport is working on GPS toll system. There are some issues with this new system that will be considered. In the new system, the toll will be deducted from the moving vehicle as soon as the plaza ends.
GPS based tolling requires the installation of a device in vehicles that will monitor their movements. The toll will be deducted according to the distance traveled at the exit point of the highway.
Toll will be deducted according to the distance
If a passenger travels a shorter distance, the GPS based toll system will charge him less. Currently there is no such arrangement. At present, even if a vehicle leaves the highway for a short distance, the full toll has to be paid.
The new system will be sensor based. Therefore, passengers will not need to stop on the highway to pay the toll. In a GPS based toll system, the user has to register himself and his vehicle and link it with a bank account.
The Ministry of Roads and Transport has amended the National Highway Toll Rules which will allow users to deduct tolls depending on the distance on the National Highway.
The official said that a lot of study has to be done before implementing all these things. One thing in this new system is related to user privacy. This will also be considered. Can track user’s personal data via GPS. Highway user privacy is an important issue.
There will be a need for tracking devices in vehicles
Implementing this GPS based toll system will require tracking devices in the vehicles, so that the movement of the vehicles can be monitored. When exiting the highway, a toll will be charged based on the distance you travelled.
So vehicles will not need to stop at toll booths. Under this system, people will have to register themselves and their vehicles. Also the bank account has to be linked.
The Motor Vehicle Act needs to be amended
According to a report by LiveMint, a person related to the matter said, ‘The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways will have to amend the National Highway Toll Rules 2008. This allows toll collection on national highways based on the distance traveled by the vehicle.
But before starting this system, a lot of work has to be done to improve the technical infrastructure along with the roads. Apart from this, there may be a need for amendment in the Motor Vehicle Act. Therefore, this system may take a long time to remove the toll booths on the highways of the country.
Privacy concerns are being raised
Government to introduce GPS based toll system with an aim to improve payment system and remove traffic congestion on national highways. Concerns are now being raised about privacy on this system. This is delaying the start of this system.
Officials of the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) are discussing resolving privacy issues related to the proposed toll system. Legal advice is also being sought on possible amendments to laws including the Motor Vehicle Act to implement this GPS based toll system.
Union Minister Gadkari said the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has also launched two projects of automatic number plate recognition system to collect toll without stopping vehicles. In the year 2018-19, vehicles had to wait for an average of 8 minutes at the toll booths. With the introduction of the FASTag system in 2020-21 and 2021-22, this time has come down to just 47 seconds.
Government plans to introduce GPS toll from March 2024
Union Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari had said that GPS toll collection in the country could start from March 2024. Now from next month i.e. from February 2024 GPS based toll test will be started on about 10 highways in the country.
This clearly means that soon the toll collection through FASTag will be discontinued and GPS based toll collection will become a part of people’s lives.
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