Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari, has stated that toll should not be collected by agencies if the roads are not in good condition.
Gadkari made this remark while addressing a global workshop on satellite-based toll collection systems on Wednesday. This system is to be implemented on more than 5,000 kilometers of highways within the current fiscal year.
Toll Collection and Road Conditions:
Gadkari emphasized that highway-operating agencies should refrain from collecting tolls if the roads are in a poor state. He highlighted that the rush to collect tolls to safeguard interests should not override the importance of maintaining road quality.
Satellite-Based Toll System:
The current plan by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) involves implementing a global navigation satellite system-based electronic toll collection (ETC) within the existing FASTag framework. This initiative aims to streamline toll collection and improve efficiency.
Implementation Timeline:
The satellite-based toll collection system is slated to be rolled out on over 5,000 kilometers of highways within the ongoing fiscal year.
Gadkari’s Address:
Gadkari urged the agencies to ensure that road users are charged fairly and that toll collection is justified by the quality of the roads provided. He stressed the need for a balance between revenue collection and the provision of good infrastructure.
The move towards a satellite-based toll collection system reflects an effort to modernize toll operations and improve transparency.