Nitin Gadkari announces nationwide closure of toll plazas, FASTag-based electronic toll collection to begin

New Delhi (The Uttam Hindu): Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari announced in the Lok Sabha on Thursday during the winter session that the new electronic toll collection system has been launched in the country. It has been implemented in 10 locations in the initial phase and will be expanded across the country within the next year.

Gadkari said that once the new system is implemented, the traditional toll plaza system will be eliminated. "No one will stop you in the name of toll. Electronic toll collection will be implemented across the country within a year," he said. Gadkari also said that 4,500 highway projects worth ₹10 lakh crore are currently underway across the country.

It's worth noting that in October of this year, the central government provided significant relief to drivers without FASTags. This relief stipulated that if a vehicle lacks a FASTag or its function is not working, then instead of paying double the toll tax in cash at toll plazas, paying through UPI will only require 1.25 times the toll tax. The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways issued a notification regarding this. This new system has been implemented at toll plazas across the country since November 15th.