New regulations issued by the Indian government will alter the manner which vehicles pay tolls on national highways. With the new system, users of mechanical vehicles (not those with a National Permit) will be allowed to go up to 20 km for free. The tracking of the system uses the Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS).
According to the new rules, travels on toll roads, which include national highways, permanent bridges, bypasses, and tunnels, lasting up to 20 kilometres in each direction, will now be subject to a zero-user cost for drivers, owners, or persons in control of cars. Drivers will be billed according to the actual distance travelled for trips that go over this cap.
Additional modifications to the regulations now include the use of many technologies, including as FASTag systems, Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) devices, and Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) On-Board Units. According to the revised legislation, various technical methods alone or in conjunction with them may be used to collect user fees. A GNSS device is defined as a technology that is permanently installed in cars and is non-transferable. It links to the GNSS to collect user fees.
In order to optimise the fee-collecting procedure, the regulations stipulate that automobiles fitted with GNSS On-Board Units may be assigned a dedicated lane. If a vehicle enters this lane without a working device, it will be charged double the normal user cost that applies at that toll plaza.
Virtual toll booths are introduced along roads and highways via GNSS technology, in contrast to the current FASTag system, which depends on real toll booths for vehicle monitoring and billing. For GNSS-enabled automobiles only, these virtual booths track a vehicle’s location and distance while recording vital facts about it, such as its kind, registration number, and bank account information.
Crucially, commuters will be able to easily switch from FASTags to GNSS technology since the GNSS system will work with the current FASTag system. Even though FASTag has sped up the toll-collecting process, lines still form during peak traffic hours. GNSS seeks to solve this problem by guaranteeing a hassle-free and seamless journey.
At toll plazas, dedicated GNSS lanes will be installed to provide uninterrupted traffic flow for cars having GNSS-based ETC. All lanes are anticipated to eventually convert to GNSS-enabled lanes as GNSS-based ETC use increases, bringing in a new era of convenient and efficient toll collecting.
With the implementation of the GNSS-based ETC system, the journey time will be minimised as average waiting periods will be cut from 714 seconds to just 47 seconds, greatly improving operating efficiency. By taking this proactive measure, traffic congestion will be reduced and a regular flow of cars will be ensured without the need for additional toll lanes. In addition, the removal of physical toll booths will simplify invoicing as customers will only be charged for the actual distance they travel, which will ultimately result in cost savings from toll booth construction and maintenance.
