During 2018-19, the average waiting time of vehicles at toll plazas was 8 minutes (File)
New Delhi:
Union Minister Nitin Gadkari on Monday said that the government is planning a pilot project for an automatic number plate identification system with an aim to reduce traffic congestion at toll plazas and charge vehicle owners for accurate distance of cars plying on toll highways. is operating.
Addressing an event organized by the Indo-American Chamber of Commerce (IACC), Gadkari said that the government wants to develop India’s public transport system on electricity.
“The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways is conducting a pilot project of Automatic Number Plate Identification System (Automatic Number Plate Reader Camera) to enable automatic toll collection without stopping vehicles.
“With this new technology, we want to achieve two objectives – free flow of traffic at toll booths and pay as per your usage,” he said without giving further details.
During 2018-19, the average waiting time of vehicles at toll plazas was 8 minutes.
With the introduction of FASTags during 2020-21 and 2021-22, the average waiting time for vehicles has now come down to 47 seconds.
While this is a considerable improvement in waiting times, in some places, especially near cities and in densely populated cities, there are still some delays at toll plazas during peak hours.
In order to provide seamless and safe traffic operation, Shri Gadkari said that Advanced Traffic Management System (ATMS) is being installed on all newly constructed National Highways and existing 4 plus lane National Highways to provide seamless and safe traffic operation.
The Minister of Road Transport and Highways said, “The Ministry aims to implement Intelligence Traffic System (ITS) on 15,000 km of National Highways by 2024 to strengthen road safety.”
Last month, Mr Gadkari said that the government is now looking at two options – a satellite-based toll system where a car will have GPS and the toll will be deducted directly from the passenger’s bank account and the other option is through the number. plates.
“We are in the process of replacing FASTag with GPS while using satellite and on the basis of which we want to charge tolls. The technology is available on the number plate also and good technology is available in India.
“We will choose the technology. Though we have not taken an official decision, but in my view there will be no toll plazas on number plate technology and there will be a sophisticated computerized digital system by which we can give relief. There will be no queues and people There will be a big relief,” the minister had said.
(Except for the title, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)