Barrier-free highway toll collection system by 2026-end: Gadkari | India News

New Delhi: Highway commuters won’t have to stop to pay user fee at national highway toll plazas by 2026-end as the govt rolls out the multi-lane free flow (MLFF) system, road transport and highways minister Nitin Gadkari said on Wednesday. He added that the FASTag annual pass launched in Aug, which allows private vehicles to cross 200 plazas, has also come as a big relief for people.Gadkari said over 40 lakh private car owners have subscribed to the FASTag annual pass. “People will be rid of stopping or slowing down at toll plazas as we roll out the MLFF toll system. Cameras above the road will read the number plate and user fee will be automatically debited from the vehicle FASTag account. All this will happen even when someone is driving at a speed of 80 kmph. I made this announcement in Rajya Sabha today,” he said.Earlier in the day, he said in RS that the new system will help save fuel worth Rs 1,500 crore and increase toll revenue by Rs 6,000 crore. The system will make toll collection transparent and corruption-free, he said.Gadkari also said that a system is being put in place where vehicle owners will have to clear all dues, including pending toll fee and e-challans when they sell their vehicles or renew registration.On the next major focus of highway development in the country, Gadkari said that now there is more thrust on building greenfield highways, which is key to reduce logistics cost. “In India, earlier the logistics cost was 16%. But the latest study by IIM-Bangalore, IIT-Kanpur and IIT-Madras indicates that our logistics cost on road has reduced by 6%. The report was out three-four months back. So, I am confident that by now this logistics cost is in single digit at 9%,” he said.He said govt’s focus on infrastructure is driving India’s economic growth. “For the growth of any country, infrastructure is important. Roads, water, power, transport and communication, without developing this infrastructure, we can’t get capital investment in industry and trade & business. And, without investment, we cannot create jobs… Without jobs, we cannot eradicate poverty,” he added.