Nitin Gadkari, the Minister for Road Transport and Highways, announced the imminent introduction of satellite-based tolling systems on national highways in India. Speaking in the Rajya Sabha, Gadkari said that the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) is set to implement the innovative tolling system by March 2024.
India has recently updated the World Bank on significant progress in reducing wait times at toll plazas and streamlining the release of exports at land ports. With the implementation of FASTag, the average wait time at toll plazas has significantly dropped to a mere 47 seconds, a substantial improvement compared to the previous 714-second wait.
In a recent discussion with the World Bank, the Indian government outlined its plans to enhance the country’s infrastructure. Construction and expansion of national highways have increased by around 10% from April to November compared to the same period from 2011 to 2023. However, media reports indicate a significant 52% drop in the allocation of new construction projects this year.