FASTag to get replaced with GPS-based toll system in India from May 1
FASTag to get replaced with GPS-based toll system in India from May 1
Digital Desk: Beginning May 1, road traffic on India's national highways is expected to experience a significant boost with the introduction of a GPS-based toll collection system.
The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) is planning to replace the present FASTag method with a more advanced satellite-based approach that charges a toll according to a vehicle's actual distance traveled.
The new tolling technology, known as the Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS), aims to improve traffic efficiency by eliminating the need for vehicles to halt or slow down at toll booths.
GNSS tracks vehicle travel using satellite signals and an on-board unit (OBU) or tracker, as opposed to FASTag, which depends on RFID tags put on windshields and needs passing through physical plazas.
Tolls under this system will be calculated in real-time based on the precise distance traveled on national highways and automatically deducted from a linked digital payment source. The system will provide prepaid and postpaid billing alternatives.
Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari recently affirmed in Nagpur that GNSS-based toll collection will be implemented by the end of April.
The planned launch date was April 1; however, it was moved back to facilitate a smoother deployment. Authorities expect the deployment to begin within the next two weeks.
The GNSS system is expected to revolutionize highway travel by eliminating physical toll plazas and enabling smoother, faster journeys. This is a significant step towards a more efficient and user-friendly tolling experience on Indian highways, replacing FASTag.
