Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari made a significant announcement on Wednesday. In a bid to reduce waiting times at toll plazas, FASTag was launched.
Now, the central minister has stated that they will soon remove this system and introduce a new service, which will be satellite-based. This means your toll fees will be deducted via satellite.
Nitin Gadkari claims that this service will be even faster than FASTag. However, details regarding its launch date have not been disclosed yet. Now, the question arises: what is a Satellite-Based Toll System?
The Satellite-Based Toll System is a technology proposed by the government to eliminate all physical toll booths, providing seamless experiences for travellers on expressways.
The government aims to utilize the GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) based tolling system, which will replace the existing electronic toll collection system.
The current system operates on RFID tags, which automatically collect toll fees. On the other hand, the GNSS-based tolling system will feature virtual tolls.
This means that tolls will exist, but they will not be physically visible. For this, virtual gantries will be installed, which will connect with GNSS-enabled vehicles and deduct toll taxes.
As soon as a vehicle passes through these virtual tolls, the required amount will be deducted from the user's account. India has its own navigation systems - GAGAN (GPS Aided GEO Augmented Navigation) and NavIC (Navigation with Indian Constellation), which will make it easier to track vehicles.
Convenience: With the implementation of this system, travelling will become easier as vehicles won't need to stop at toll booths.
Time-saving: While FASTag has reduced waiting times at toll plazas, this system will further minimize the time spent at tolls.
Reduced Infrastructure Costs: The infrastructure costs will decrease as physical toll booths will be eliminated.
Enhanced User Experience: Users will enjoy a better travel experience without the hassle of toll payments and waiting at toll booths.
Privacy Concerns: The introduction of this system may raise privacy concerns as it involves satellite-based tracking of vehicles.
Technical Challenges: Since this system relies on satellite technology, there may be technical challenges, especially in remote or densely populated areas.
Awareness and Education: Educating people about this new system and its implications will be crucial to its successful implementation.
