No toll plazas on National Highways soon? NHAI plans to introduce on-board unit devices; how they will work
The NHAI has already started this move as a pilot project on Delhi-Mumbai highway. Once the pilot project is declared successful, Nitin Gadkari-chaired Road Transport and Highways Ministry will release notification regarding this.
No toll plazas on National Highways? Soon, making toll payments on national highways will become easier and more convenient! The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) is planning to eliminate all toll plazas that are present on National Highways across the country, states a Dainik Bhaskar report. While replacing all toll plazas from National Highways, the NHAI is likely to introduce On Board Unit devices. According to the report, the vehicles will be equipped with On-Board Unit devices. With the help of these devices, on completing a journey on a highway, the toll will be automatically deducted from the commuter’s account. The NHAI has already started this move as a pilot project on Delhi-Mumbai highway. Once the pilot project is declared successful, Nitin Gadkari-chaired Road Transport and Highways Ministry will release notification regarding this, the report said.
According to the report, under this pilot project, some of the vehicles, passing through Delhi-Mumbai highway will be equipped with On Board Unit devices near their music systems, which will be connected by satellite. The device will be linked to the account of the commuter so that the toll amount can be easily deducted from it, on completion of the journey.
Last year in the month of September, it was reported by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways that with the growing use of FASTAG devices, there has been a significant increase in toll revenue. The FASTAG devices allow electronic collections at toll plazas on national highways. By making use of the radio frequency identification (RFID) technology, a FASTAG device enables almost non-stop movement of vehicles through toll plazas. This system is used by commuters to make direct toll payments with the help of prepaid accounts that are linked to it. According to the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, the move has been a huge relief for regular commuters on National Highways.