The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) is planning to set up special cameras at important toll booths to better check the number and types of vehicles passing through. This decision comes after a problem at a toll plaza in Uttar Pradesh, where full cash was collected using an unauthorized handheld device instead of the official system.
Union Minister Nitin Gadkari told the Lok Sabha that this incident has encouraged NHAI to improve how cash is collected from vehicles that don’t use FASTags. They want to keep a close watch on how many vehicles use the toll road compared to how much money is collected. Gadkari responded to questions about how the government is tackling toll fraud during a session in Parliament.
To make collecting tolls easier and safer, NHAI is testing a new system at five toll plazas. This new system will use FASTags and smart cameras to automatically check vehicles as they pass, and there won’t be any cash collected from these vehicles. Instead, drivers who don’t use FASTags will receive e-notices to inform them of their toll fees.
Gadkari mentioned that over 98% of toll payments are now made using FASTags through the National Electronic Toll Collection (NETC) program. This system ensures that all transactions are fair and recorded properly. Even cash payments must be processed through the official toll system to keep everything organized. NHAI is also conducting regular audits to check for any issues with cash collections.
To boost security, the government has hired companies to watch over toll booths around the clock and report any suspicious actions. Currently, there are investigations into some potentially dishonest activities at these toll plazas. So far, seven companies have been warned or fined for not following the rules.
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