New Delhi, Aug 26 : The government is working on a new method for collecting tolls using automated number plate reader cameras which read vehicle number plates and deduct tolls from associated bank accounts of car owners.Although the goal is to eliminate toll plazas on national highways some commuters are concerned that it could make them change the way they pay tolls.
The new system operates via automatic number plate reader cameras, which read the number plates of vehicles and automatically deduct tolls from associated bank accounts of the owners of the vehicle.
Union Road, Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari in an interview with the media recently said that the pilot phase of the scheme is currently in progress and legal changes to ease the transition are being pushed.
“In 2019 we established the rule that vehicles will be fitted with company-issued number plates.Therefore, the cars that have been introduced in the past four years have had different number plates.
The next step is to eliminate toll plazas and install cameras that scan these plates.Tolls will be taken directly from the accounts.
We are also working on an experiment of this plan,” said the minister.
The minister said that there’s no provision in the law that penalizes a motorist who does not pay the toll plaza but fails to pay.
“We have to introduce that provision into law.We could bring in the provision that allows vehicles that don’t have these number plates to install them within a specific time of time.We’ll need to bring in an Bill to do this,” he added.
In the past during an Question Hour in the Upper House in the first week of August the Minister mentioned that toll plazas are causing issues, such as traffic jams and long lines which the government would like to eliminate.
He stated that the government is seeking two options -satellitebased toll system that is based on the GPS will be installed in cars and the cost of toll will be directly deducted from the bank account of the passenger and the second option is to use number plates.
“We are in the process of the introduction of GPS instead of FASTag by using satellites, and in the light of which we will pay the toll.
The technology is available for number plates, and there’s a good technology readily available in India,” he declared.
“We will choose the technology.
Although we haven’t taken any official decisions, in my view on the technology of number plates there will be no toll plaza.There will be an advanced digital system that can provide relief.There will not be any queues and people will feel immense relief.” Minister also stated.
However commuters have expressed their concerns that it might make vehicle owners look to another option to pay the toll.
“I think there isn’t any need to change.The majority of the plazas that charge tolls do not encounter any traffic jams in Fastag lanes.It’s unclear if we should install a new technology to deal with this.Furthermore, for older cars in the near future it is necessary to update the number plate,” said Vivek Singh who is a south Delhi resident.
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