E-Paper
Now free travel up to 20 km on highways for private vehicles but there's a catch
Vehicles with GNSS can now travel 20 km free on national highways. This measure aims to enhance toll collection efficiency and reduce traffic at toll plazas.
The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways issued a notification which will enable free journey of up to 20 kilometres a day in each direction on national highways and expressways.
This is applicable for vehicles equipped with the Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) as the ministry amended the National Highways Fee (Determination of Rates and Collection) Rules, 2008.
Read more: No toll plazas anymore? Here's all you need to know about GPS-based toll system
Following this, GNSS-based electronic toll collection in India will also be included and is aimed at reduc to reduce congestion at highway toll plazas and charge the toll on the basis of actual distance travelled.
The ministry's notification read, “A driver, owner or person in-charge of a mechanical vehicle other than National Permit Vehicle who makes use of the same section of national highway, permanent bridge, bypass of tunnel, as the case may be, shall be levied a zero-user fee up to twenty kilometres of journey in each direction in a day under Global Navigation Satellite System based user fee collection system and if the distances travelled is more than twenty kilometres, the fee will be charge for actual distance travelled."
Read more: Flying SpiceJet? Things you should know as a passenger
How will GNSS work?
The GNSS device will be non-transferrable and fitted in the vehicle for user fee collection. If vehicles which are not equipped with GNSS enter the GNSS-exclusive lanes, they will have to pay double the toll as penalty. GNSS will have advance reading, identification and enforcement equipment for vehicles.
Read more: Why Apple's Pro models will be cheaper by ₹15,000 in India?
GNSS will provide distance-based tolling using which users will pay only for the stretch they have travelled on a National Highway. Vehicles equipped with the GNSS will be allowed to pass through toll plazas without stopping for toll payment or FASTag.
