GNSS-based tolling is proposed, in the first phase, to be implemented for the commercial vehicles, and private vehicles will be included subsequently. The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) recently invited global tender from innovative and qualified companies to develop and implement GNSS-based toll collection. As per the notification, the interested companies can apprise the Indian Highways Management Company Limited, a firm promoted by NHAI, which has invited the tender.The selected agency will develop a layout — including advance signages, markings, lighting, and placement of equipment — of dedicated GNSS lanes within existing plazas to facilitate the GNSS-enabled vehicles without coming in conflict with the slow-moving Radio Frequency Identification-based vehicles passing through the corridors. The high-performance equipment will read vehicle registration number reading through Automatic Number Plate Recognition cameras, indentify vehicle — axle and type — estimate weight, and charge toll fee, officials said.In the beginning, a hybrid model, including both RFID-based FASTag and GNSS-enabled toll collection, will operate simultaneously until the proposed arrangement is adopted smoothly. All lanes at fee plazas will eventually be converted to GNSS lanes, the officials said.The NHAI is entrusted with maintenance and management of national highways of about 70,000 km length, out of the total network of 150,000 km.Moreover, NHAI is mandated to collect user fees on these highways in accordance with the National Highway Fee (Determination of Rates and Collection) Rules, 2008. Currently, toll is collected for about 45,000 km of NHs and Expressways.
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