The National Highway Authority of India on Thursday held a workshop on the proposed GPS-based tolling system. The workshop was held to help the government strategise and design a roadmap for the new toll system. The government cleared the GPS-based toll collection system back in late 2020.
The parties invited to the workshop included various government departments, the ISRO, National Informatics Centre, vehicle manufacturers, Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) service providers, banks and payment gateway service providers. As per a statement, the goal of the workshop was to seek inputs and suggestions from various stakeholders on different aspects of the system. The GPS-based system in theory is said to use geo-fencing to mark out virtual toll points along national highways with owners being charged a toll when their vehicle – equipped with an on-board GPS system - crosses these points. The toll is collected directly from the vehicle owner’s bank account.
India currently uses the RFID-based FasTag system to collect tolls on National Highways
Speaking to the PTI, Ministry of Road Transport and Highways secretary Giridhar Aramane said that the consultation process was important as it allowed parties to discuss various issues involved with the new toll collection system. He added that the goal was to make toll collection as seamless as possible while also being efficient, economical and acceptable to stakeholders.
The discussions also included the findings of a pilot test carried out by the NHAI of the GPS-based system on the Delhi-Mumbai corridor.
The GPS-based system aside, the Indian Government is also looking at a camera-based toll collection system. The system would remove the need to physical toll booths with cameras being used to read a car’s numberplate and the toll being deducted straight from the owner’s bank account.
