Solar-powered electronic toll plazas to be set up pan-India

Close on heels of Centre's announcement to install advanced electronic toll collection system pan-India, the Highways Ministry has said the plazas will be solar-powered.
"The Ministry proposes to develop solar powered toll plazas on NHs across the country in order to reduce their carbon footprint," a Road Transport and Highways Ministry official said.
The Ministry has sought designs for such advanced solar plazas from architects, professionals and qualified engineers by October 31 announcing a prize of Rs 10 lakh for the best entry followed by Rs 7 lakh and Rs 5 lakh for entries qualifying for second and third places respectively, the official said.

NHAI-promoted Indian Highways Management Company Limited (IHMCL) last month said it has inked a pact with Axis Bank for services related electronic toll collection, which the government plans to introduce pan-India.
Considering the complexities and geographical spread, the nationwide electronic toll collection (ETC) would be first of its kind in the whole world, the Ministry has said.
The electronic toll collection (ETC) system on Delhi - Mumbai stretch of the national highways is in the process of operationalisation and a nationwide rollout will be carried out by the end of year.

Earlier this year, IHMCL had signed agreement with ICICI Bank also and it has two banks now to perform clearing and settlement of electronic toll transaction, which is a key requirement for electronic toll collection.

This is subsequent to the initiative taken by the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways, NHAI and IHMCL for implementation of unified Electronic Toll Collection on Indian national highways.
Electronic Toll Collection enables road users to pay highway tolls electronically without stopping at the toll plazas.
"The unique number of the RFID FASTag affixed on the wind shield of the vehicle will be read by the readers fitted in the dedicated 'ETC' lanes of plazas and the toll will be deducted automatically," a Ministry statement has said earlier.
Road users can enrol and get "FASTag" affixed on their vehicles at designated toll plaza locations or Point of Sale (POS) stations of Axis bank and ICICI bank.

Such type of highway tag brands are common in developed countries and are known by different names like "Eazee Pass", "SunPass" in the US, "e-Pass" in Australia, "Salik" in Dubai etc.