The Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) on a pilot project basis has installed FASTag readers on Bandra Worli Sealink (BWSL), which can read vehicles from a distance.
With this advanced FASTag reading technology, three vehicles can be scanned at a time. An official explained, "Under this advanced system, if successful and once implemented the movement of vehicles at all toll plazas will become faster. Currently, after every vehicle is scanned, the toll officials need to lift the boom barriers for scanning of FASTag. This practice will be eliminated and it will save time."
The pilot project implementation was proposed by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) under the Ministry of Road, Transport and Highways, Government of India. M/s Kent Intelligence Transportation System India Pvt. Ltd. is taking care of the new system along with testing and commissioning of the implemented system, integration of sensors with the existing toll management system amongst others. For this project, the necessary permissions have been given by the MSRDC for the Bandra Worli Sealink.
According to the official, the additional FASTag readers which can read vehicles from a distance are placed at the top of the FASTag enabled lane. So if a vehicle enters the said lane it can read the FASTag and toll amount will be deducted accordingly.
Reportedly, the MSRDC converted Bandra Worli Sealink toll plaza into complete FASTag except two lanes reserved for hybrid payments on both sides. Following the introduction of FASTag enabled lanes the movement of vehicles has become faster, thus preventing long queues at the said toll plaza.
MSRDC is also working on converting other toll plazas in the city into complete FASTag, however, due to the prevailing Covid-19 situation the work has been delayed, the official stated.
