In a move that would further cut the wait time on toll plazas on national highways, the Centre is considering making a shift towards the usage of cameras to withdraw toll from vehicles.
Currently, vehicles have to wait in queues at toll plazas on highways, which even though makes use of FASTags, takes time due to congestion.
The government is considering the camera idea to cut travel time even further.
Here’s everything you need to know upon this development.
Govt Considers Replacing FASTag System with Cameras on Toll Booths
In a Rajya Sabha session earlier in the month, the Union minister Nitin Gadkari had depicted problems arising from long queues and traffic jams on highways while vehicles waited to get their payment done at toll plazas on national highways.
In an attempt to put an end to this, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways is working on a plan to replace toll plazas with Automatic Number Plate Reader or ANPR cameras, which will directly read the number plates of passing vehicles, stated an Indian Express report.
This development comes even though 5.56 crore FASTags have been issued and even though payment through cash on national highways are still an option, about 96.6% tolling occurs through FASTags.
The camera system of tolls will work only on number plates made in 2019 or later, as these ANPR cameras will be able to read only these number plates.
The cameras will be fit at the entry and exit of toll roads and will automatically scan the number plates of vehicles.
“In 2019, we made a rule that cars will come with company-fitted number plates. So, the vehicles that have come in the last four years have different number plates. Now, the plan is to remove toll plazas and put cameras, which will read these number plates and toll will be deducted from the account directly,” stated Gadkari.
He added, “We are also doing a pilot of this scheme. However, there is one problem — there is no provision under the law to penalise the vehicle owner who skips the toll plaza and does not pay. We need to bring that provision under the law. We may bring in a provision for cars which do not have these number plates to get them installed within a certain period of time. We will need to bring in a Bill for this.”