Pay toll only for distance travelled

To reduce the burden on road users, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has started the new “pay as you use the road” toll collection system.

In the new system called the closed toll policy, commuters pay on a per-kilometre basis and toll will be collected based on the distance they travel.

In the present open toll system, travellers pay fixed charges for the entire stretch of tolled highways regardless of the distance they travel.

The ministry has introduced the new system on the Eastern Peripheral Expressway on the outskirts of Delhi on a pilot basis.

This system is being implemented through a satellite-based electronic toll collection system running on global positioning systems and mobile telecommunication technology for vehicles plying on the highway, said an official from the NHAI.

The combination of technologies helps deduct money from a vehicle account (RFID tag), credit to the concessionaire immediately and open the toll gate, said an official.

For instance, if a road user wants to exit after travelling 30 km of the 60 km highway, money for only 30 km will be deducted from RFID (radio frequency identification) tag fitted on the vehicle at the exit gate. For this, all entry and exit gates of highways will be equipped with an automatic money deduction system which will read the distance travelled. The government wanted to install the new system on only access controlled highways and expressways.