New Delhi: The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways on Thursday dismissed media reports suggesting the launch of a satellite-based tolling system from May 1, clarifying that no such decision has been made by the Ministry or the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI).
In an official statement, the Ministry emphasized that instead of satellite tolling, a new Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) and FASTag-based barrier-less tolling system is being developed for selected toll plazas. This hybrid system will combine ANPR cameras to read vehicle number plates and FASTag’s RFID technology to enable automatic toll deductions, eliminating the need for vehicles to stop.
The government added that violators of the system will receive e-notices, and repeated non-compliance may lead to FASTag suspension and other VAHAN-related penalties.
The NHAI has already invited bids for the implementation of this system at select locations. A nationwide rollout will be considered only after evaluating its performance, efficiency, and user experience, the Ministry added.
