Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari informed the Lok Sabha on Thursday that the existing physical toll collection system on national highways will be completely phased out within the next year and replaced by a fully electronic toll collection mechanism that will provide a seamless and stop-free experience for highway users.
Speaking during Question Hour in the Lower House, the minister announced that the new electronic system has already been successfully rolled out at 10 locations and will be expanded to cover the entire country within one year.
“This toll system will end. There will be no one to stop you in the name of toll. Within a year, an electronic toll collection will be implemented across the country,” Gadkari said.
The minister further informed the House that at present, around 4,500 highway projects with a combined value of Rs 10 lakh crore are under various stages of execution across the country. In a recent official statement, it was highlighted that the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) has developed the National Electronic Toll Collection (NETC) programme — a unified, interoperable platform designed to streamline electronic toll payments on highways throughout India.
The cornerstone of the NETC system is FASTag, a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID)-based device that is affixed to a vehicle’s windscreen. It enables automatic deduction of toll charges directly from the user’s linked bank account or wallet without the need for the vehicle to stop at the toll plaza.
Also Read: Delhi-Mumbai Expressway to be completed soon: Gadkari
Follow us
