3 days ago
National Highway Toll Booths Set For Barrier-Free System
India is making its highway toll booths more automatic.
Cars can use FASTag to pay without stopping to hand over cash.
Nitin Gadkari said this could bring the government much more money each year.
He also said toll booths that do not use barriers are being tested.
These systems may help vehicles spend less time waiting in lines.
The article says drivers have already saved money on fuel because of shorter delays.
More than 70 percent of toll booths were expected to become barrier-free by the end of December this year.
The article’s headline gives March 2027 as the deadline for all booths, while its body says March next year.
Gadkari also asked technology companies to help detect overloaded trucks and said the freight sector needs more transparency.
Union Minister Nitin Gadkari said all national-highway toll booths will become barrier-free, with the headline setting a March 2027 target.
He said full FASTag implementation could provide the government with Rs 20,000-25,000 crore annually.
FASTag has reportedly increased toll-booth revenue by about 10%, or Rs 7,000 crore, to more than Rs 82,000 crore.
Gadkari said barrier-free tolling could add another Rs 7,000-8,000 crore and reduce operating costs from 12% to 2-3%.
The minister said more than Rs 5,250 crore a year has been saved in fuel costs, while also calling for better truck-overloading detection and freight-sector transparency.
- Who
- Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari, along with highway toll operators and technology companies.
- What
- India is expanding FASTag and barrier-free tolling on national highways.
- Where
- On India’s national highways; Gadkari made the remarks at the Global Fintech Fest.
- When
- Gadkari said more than 70% of booths would be barrier-free by the end of December this year; the headline gives March 2027 as the full implementation target, while the article body says March next year.
- Why
- To increase toll revenue, reduce toll-booth operating costs, save travelers’ time and fuel, and improve tolling efficiency.
Key facts
- FASTag revenue estimate
- Rs 20,000-25,000 crore per year for the Government of India after full implementation, according to Gadkari.
- Current toll revenue
- More than Rs 82,000 crore, after a reported 10% or Rs 7,000 crore increase linked to FASTag.
- Barrier-free revenue estimate
- An additional Rs 7,000-8,000 crore, according to the minister.
- Operating costs
- Reportedly reduced to 2-3% from 12% at toll booths.
- Barrier-free coverage
- More than 70% was expected by the end of December this year.
- Fuel savings
- More than Rs 5,250 crore per year, according to studies cited by Gadkari.
- Additional concerns
- Gadkari called for technology to detect overloaded trucks and greater transparency in freight operations.
Quotes
Nitin Gadkari
Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways
“When the system will go fully live, then our department alone would deliver a benefit of Rs 20,000-25,000 crore per year to Government of India because of the use of FASags”
NDTV
Sources
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