NHAI to conduct pilot run of GPS-based tolling

New Delhi –National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) is executing a pilot project to study the operation ability of the GPS/GSM system in India towards aiming “Pay as you use”.

This pilot project includes a satellite-based e toll collection system with combination of GSM mobile communication technology and Global Positioning System(GPS) for about 500 Commercial Vehicles on Delhi- Mumbai national highway runs for one year.

This satellite based tolling system can able to deduct money from a vehicle account, credit the money to the concessionaire within one day and open the toll gate. In case of a failed transaction it would be able to alert the toll operator to collect payment manually and not open the gate.

The pilot project will help to integrate the new solution with the existing pre-paid wallet account offered by NHAI under the FASTag program. It will also draw a comparison between distance-based tolling and the existing tolling system, as also virtual tolling Vs normal tolling.

FASTag is a reloadable tag which enables automatic deduction of toll charges and lets you pass through the toll plaza without stopping for the cash transaction. FASTag is linked to a prepaid account from which the applicable toll amount is deducted. The tag employs Radio-frequency Identification (RFID) technology and is affixed on the vehicle's windscreen after the tag account is active. FASTag is presently operational at 180 toll plazas across national and state highways.