Plans to make electronic toll collection mandatory

New Delhi: The transport ministry is planning to make electronic toll collection mandatory on national highways to reduce congestion at toll plazas, two officials told ET.

At present, about 30% of toll collected across more than 400 toll plazas managed by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) is done electronically. The government plans to make this 100% over the next three months, said a transport ministry official who did not wish to be identified. “The minister has said that cash as an instrument should not exist in the tolling system.”

The other official said the default mode of tolling should be electronic as per the proposed policy. “The top management is of the view that this should be mandatory so the hassle at toll plazas is reduced,” the official said.