India Introduces GNSS-Based Toll Collection for Highways
Changes were made to the National Highways Fee Rules by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways. A new way to collect tolls was added using satellites. We’ve come a long way. The Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) is now being used in a new way to make it easy to pay tolls and make driving on India’s roads better.
How GNSS Works
Vehicles with GNSS-enabled On-Board Units (OBUs) will pay tolls instantly based on how far they’ve gone. This gets rid of the need to stop at toll booths, which greatly cuts down on journey time and traffic.
The first 20 kilometres of any journey will be toll-free, providing an added incentive for drivers to adopt this new technology.
Benefits for Drivers
The new system promises several benefits:
- Smooth Travel: You won’t have to wait at toll booths anymore.
- Correct Billing: You only pay for the distance you journey.
- Exclusive lines: Vehicles with GNSS will have their own lines, which will make the trip go more smoothly.
Implementation and Future Plans
The parts between Bengaluru and Mysuru and Panipat and Hisar have already been tested by the Ministry and worked well. Full adoption is set to happen by April 2025, and the current FASTag system will be replaced in the long term.
Challenges and Considerations
The GNSS system has many benefits, but there are also some problems that need to be fixed. It will take a lot of work and money to make sure that OBUs are widely used and that the technology is integrated with current infrastructure.
Indian roads are getting a lot more modern now that they use a GNSS-based toll system. The government thinks that this tech will make it easier and faster for millions of people to get where they need to go.
