GPS-based toll collection system cleared: Nitin Gadkari

• Toll income may rise up to Rs 1.34 lakh crore in 5 years using GPS technology

Union Minister of Road Transport & Highways and MSMEs Nitin Gadkari has said that the Government has finalised GPS-based(Global Positioning System) technology toll collection to ensure seamless movement of vehicles across the country. He said this will ensure India becomes ‘toll booth free’ in the next two years.

Addressing the ASSOCHAM Foundation Week Programme here today, he shared his perspective on the theme ‘National Infrastructure Pipeline critical for economic revival across sectors,’ and explained that the toll amount will be deducted directly from the bank account based on the movement of vehicles. While now all commercial vehicles are coming with vehicle tracking systems, the Government will come up with some plan to install GPS technology in old vehicles, he said.

The Minister expressed hope that the toll collections may reach Rs 34,000 crore by coming March. Mr. Gadkari informed, by using GPS technology for toll collection, the toll income in the next five years will be Rs 1,34,000 crore.

The Minister said that industrial development is key to employment generation and poverty eradication in India, however at present, the industry is India is centralised in urban areas as such decentralisation of industry is imperative to boost growth rate as growing urbanisation is causing grave problems in cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, and others. He also impressed upon the need to promote public-private investment in infrastructure development. He assured the Government’s support in projects that are not economically viable.