New technology to obviate stops at toll points

At a time when an increasing number of roads across the country are being tolled, a technology that is being studied to be adapted in India might revolutionise the way toll fees are collected here.

If implemented, the system even promises to ensure that vehicle users can travel all over the country using tolled roads operated by various companies and yet not get stopped at a tolling booth, even once.

Officials in G M R Infrastructure Limited, one of the top 10 infrastructure companies in India, say that they will soon propose a National Toll Card to the Planning Commission and the Road Transport ministry.

According to managing director of the G M R Infrastructure, B V N Rao, the toll card system is doing well in Malaysia and some other East Asian countries where they have conducted a study on the project.

Under the system, a vehicle user has to buy a toll card by paying a lumpsum. The vehicle owner is given a toll card which he can then stick on the windscreen of his vehicle. 'At every toll booth there will be scanners that will read the card and debit from the vehicle owner's account,' said B V N Rao.

The card when fixed on to the windscreen of a vehicle will be read by scanners at the toll booth. Thus the toll fee will be deducted from the vehicle owner's account.

According to Rao, such Highway Transportation Management Systems can also be integrated in order to ensure that vehicle owners can move seamlessly from roads operated by various BOT operators, all over the country.

G M R Infrastructure which has done a study on this tolling system now plans to make a presentation before the government agencies concerned.

According to Rao such Highway Transport Management Systems are a must if using national highways under the BOT system have to become easy for vehicle owners and drivers.

'The Indian road sector has just started maturing. So we need to have some systems in place that will make tolling easier on road users,' he said.