Gadkari: All Toll Plazas to be barrier-free by March 2027
Mumbai, Sept 12: Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari has said that all toll booths on national highways will become barrier-free by March 2027.
He said more than 70 pecent of toll booths are expected to become barrier-free by the end of December this year, with the figure reaching 100 pecent by March next year.
Speaking at the Global Fintech Fest, the minister also said that the full implementation of the FASTag-based electronic toll collection system can generate Rs 20,000-25,000 crore annually for the Government of India.
He said his ministry alone could deliver this benefit to the government once the system becomes fully operational.
FASTags have helped increase toll booth income by around 10 percent, or about Rs, 7,000 crore, taking the total revenue to more than Rs 82,000 crore, Gadkari said.
He attributed the increase to the use of electronic toll collection across the toll network.
The barrier-free toll booths currently being piloted are expected to add another 10 percent, or Rs 7,000-8,000 crore, to toll revenue, the minister said. He said the wider rollout of the system would further increase the financial benefit to the government.
Gadkari said the operational cost of running a toll booth has declined to 2-3 percent from around 12 per cent earlier.
He cited the reduction as another benefit of the technology-led toll collection system.
The minister also said vehicle owners benefit from saving time as the likelihood of getting stuck at toll booths decreases. Citing studies, Gadkari said more than Rs 5,250 crore has been saved annually in fuel costs as a result.
Addressing technologists at the event, Gadkari urged the sector to develop solutions to gauge overloading of trucks. He said such technology could help address the issue of overloaded vehicles in the freight sector.
Gadkari also said the country’s freight sector lacks transparency and promised to work on improving it. He added that one of the operators had been booked by the Central Bureau of Investigation, without providing further details. (BVI)
