Toll gates on highways to go. Modi govt to launch GPS-based collection soon
Gadkari said 93% of the vehicles pay toll using FASTag, but the remaining 7% have still not taken it despite paying a double toll.
Toll booths in India will be a thing of the past as the central govt is all set to roll out complete GPS-based toll collection within one year. The announcement was made by Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari said on Thursday in Lok Sabha.
Nitin Gadkari said 93% of the vehicles pay toll using FASTag, but the remaining 7 per cent have still not taken it despite paying a double toll.
“I want to assure the House that within one year all physical toll booths in the country will be removed. It means that toll collection will happen via GPS. The money will be collected based on GPS imaging (on vehicles),” Gadkari said in the Lok Sabha during Question Hour.
The minister also added that he has instructed police inquiry for those vehicles which do not pay toll using FASTags. There are cases of toll theft and GST evasion cases if FASTags are not fitted in vehicles.
FASTags, which facilitate electronic payment of fee at toll plazas, was introduced in 2016. From February 16, vehicles without FASTag are required to pay double toll fee at electronic toll plazas across the country. Gadkari said new vehicles have FasTags fitted in them, while the government has said it will give free FASTags for old vehicles.
Nitin Gadkari also announced the vehicle scrappage policy in Lok Sabha today.
In case of failure to get a fitness certificate, commercial vehicles will be de-registered after 15 years. Private vehicles will be de-registered after 20 years if found unfit or in case of a failure to renew registration certificates, the Minister said.
He added that under the new vehicle scrappage policy, owners of old vehicles will get strong incentives to scrap old and unfit vehicles.
