GPS-based toll charge collection likely soon; FASTag to become a thing of the past

New Delhi: The Centre may do away with the FASTag system. Yes, FASTag is going to end after three years after its introduction. But, how officials will collect the toll charges? For that, it has informed in principle that a new method is going to be launched.

In place of the current FASTag, the ministry concerned hopes to collect toll charges using GPS satellite technology. It is reported that a pilot project based on this GPS technology has already been started. Currently, toll charges are payable for the entire distance from one Toll Plaza to another. But, with this GPS technology, the toll has to be paid based on how many kilometres the vehicle travels on the highway.

Union Minister's statement

Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari addressed the Lok Sabha in March this year. Speaking on the occasion, he announced that the government will remove Toll Plaza booths across the country within a year. Moreover, he said that toll charges will be collected using GPS satellite technology.

With the success of the GPS-based system in European countries, the Centre has intensified its efforts to implement it in our country. As part of this, reports have stated that the Union Transport Department has started a pilot project in our country to test GPS technology. Meanwhile, the Centre has to change the transport policy before implementing this new policy. In a pilot project, this GPS system will be applied on 1.37 lakh vehicles across the country.

FASTag

The Centre introduced the FASTag system in 2016 to reduce the need for motorists to wait for hours at toll gates during peak hours and facilitated the payment of fees at toll booths electronically.