Toll tax collection through GPS started: 20 km daily travel on highways is free, after this distance travel will be tolled

Toll tax collection has started in the country through GPS. The Indian Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has announced the launch of a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) based toll collection system. The system collects tolls on the country's national highways and expressways on a 'pay as you use' basis. According to the ministry's new rule, no charges will be levied for traveling by GNSS-equipped private vehicles up to a distance of 20 kilometers per day on national highways. The further distance you travel after this, the toll will be charged for the same distance. Now FASTEG will also continue as the testing phase of this new system has been completed and its trial has also started on Panipat-Hisar National Highway 709 in Haryana. Only vehicles equipped with GNSS will benefit from this. Their number is still small, so this system will work on hybrid mode for now. That is, toll tax collection through cash, FASTag and automatic number plate recognition will continue. You will only be charged for the number of kilometers you travel. A GNSS based toll system collects data on toll name, location and distance traveled. This enables dynamic toll charging system. This means that you only pay for the kilometers you drive on the highway. Currently, the toll is collected manually, which means you also pay for some extra kilometers where you have not driven at all. The GNSS system will track how far you've gone and charge accordingly. How will the toll tax be collected? A separate lane for GNSS equipped vehicles will be created at the toll plaza. As with Fasteg, the vehicle passes through an onboard unit, this unit will send a signal to process the charges which will be handled by the fintech company. Any non-GNSS vehicle entering this lane will be charged double toll tax. At present, toll tax is collected through FASTag in the country. Currently, toll tax is collected in the form of FASTag and cash at the toll booths in the country. Fastag is a type of tag or sticker. It is installed on the windscreen of the vehicle. Fasteg works on radio frequency identification or RFID technology. Through this technology, cameras installed at toll plazas scan the bar code of the sticker and the toll fee is automatically deducted from the FASTag wallet. Using FASTag, the driver does not have to stop to pay the toll tax. It is used to reduce time spent at toll plazas and facilitate travel.

Image Credit: (Divya-Bhaskar): Images/graphics belong to (Divya-Bhaskar).