Barrier-less toll system to be rolled out soon: Union minister V K Singh

Commuters may no longer need to wait for even half a minute at toll booths with the government planning to roll out a barrier-less tolling system soon.

Trials are on for a barrier-less tolling system and "as soon as our trials succeed, we will roll it out," Minister of State (MoS) for Road Transport and Highways V K Singh said on Wednesday.

The country will also move to a system of payment on the basis of kilometres travelled, the minister said at a press conference here.

He said the new system of tolling will improve efficiency and reduce travel time.

The use of FASTags has helped reduce the waiting time at toll plazas to 47 seconds, but the government aims to reduce it further to less than 30 seconds, he said.

The pilot is already underway at the Delhi-Meerut Expressway where some technologies -- satellite-based and camera-based -- are being tested.

"As you enter a highway and your vehicle registration plate is scanned by the camera and data is collated, you will be charged for the kilometres you have travelled. At present, suppose you give Rs 265, it has nothing to do with kilometres travelled. It (the payment) is based on the toll rule," Singh said.

All such progress is happening as a result of the work done by the present government across sectors, including telecom, the minister said, adding that the telecommunications sector is interconnected with all other sectors.

Improved telecommunications networks help in maintaining the data of the toll plazas, he said.