NEW DELHI: Once the proposed barrier-free toll collection based on Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) is implemented, private vehicles will not be charged any fee for travelling up to 20 km on highways and expressways. The ministry of road transport and highways (MoRTH) on Tuesday amended the National Highways Fee (Determination of Rates and Collection) Rules, 2008 in which provisions have been made to allow charging a toll according to the actual distance travelled if it exceeds 20 kilometres.The rules have been revised to incorporate electronic toll collection through satellite-based systems besides existing methods; Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) Device or FASTag.“A driver, owner or person in charge of a mechanical vehicle other than a National Permit vehicle who makes use of the same section of the national highway, permanent bridge, bypass or tunnel, as the case may be, shall be levied a zero-user fee upto 20 kilometres of a journey in each direction in a day under Global Navigation Satellite System based user fee collection system,” the notification of the ministry reads.The existing system imposes a fixed amount even if the user travels on the part of the toll road. Under the GNSS based collection system, toll is charged based on the distance travelled on the highways. The satellite based system tracks vehicle’s movement and calculates charges with the help of On Board Unit (OBU) embedded in the vehicles.TNIE in July reported that in the first phase, GNSS based tolling for commercial vehicles and private vehicles will be included subsequently. A hybrid model, where both Radio Frequency Identification (RFID)-based FASTag and GNSS enabled toll collection would operate simultaneously until the proposed arrangement is adopted commonly and smoothly. All lanes at fee plazas will eventually be converted to GNSS lanes.“Exclusive lane can be earmarked for Global Navigation Satellite System On-Board Unit fitted vehicle and in case vehicle enters such lane, without a valid, functional Global Navigation Satellite System On-Board Unit, shall pay a fee equivalent to two times of the user fee applicable at that fee plaza,” the notification states.The proposed arrangement is expected to eliminate waiting at fee plazas as it will allow the highway users to cruise through toll gates at high speed; upto 100 kilometres per hour (kmph) without inconvenience. Initially one or two lanes will be available at fee plazas for the vehicles, which opt for the soon-to-be-launched highway user fee collection arrangement.The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) in June 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 (IHMCL), a company promoted by NHAI, which has invited the tender.A pilot study with regard to a GNSS-based user fee collection system has been done on the Bengaluru-Mysore section of NH-275 in Karnataka and Panipat-Hisar section of NH-709 in Haryana.The Government is hopeful that it will help plug the gaps and check toll defaulters. The lanes will be equipped with advanced reading, identification and enforcement equipment so that only the valid vehicles pass through the gates.
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