GPS-based collection to cut down waiting time at toll plazas to 47 seconds, says Nitin Gadkari

One of the hassles of travelling on Indian highways has been stopping at multiple toll plazas, and waiting in long cueues for anything from 10 to 20 minutes. This was because the average waiting time for motorists to stop and pay a simple levy to pass through was eight minutes.

But now Indians can simply drive away in less than a minute, thanks to GPS-based toll collection.

Less time, more collection

• Minister of Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari has announced that the automated system will be implemented at all toll plazas across the country in six months.

• Drivers will be charged only for the exact distance they've covered on the highways.

• Apart from cutting down waiting time from eight minutes to 47 seconds, it will also increase revenue from Rs 40,000 crore to Rs 1.4 lakh crore.

Smarter highways for faster movement

• This GPS-based mechanism is just one of several tech innovations slated to speed up road transport, including automated number plate recognition.

• The smart system for scanning registration numbers can enable toll collection without having to stop vehicles.

• Although vehicles don't have to wait as much as before in urban areas, congestion during peak hours remains an issue around smaller towns.

• The minister also emphasised the need for cutting the cost for construction, at a time when NHAI's debt at Rs 3.48 lakh crore in FY22, was 12 times higher compared to FY15.

Gadkari added that there shouldn't be compromise on quality of roads while increasing speed and reducing costs of building them.