Barrier-Free Tolling to Roll Out by Feb-March 2027: Nitin Gadkari

Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari has announced that India aims to introduce a fully digital, barrier-free tolling system by February-March 2027. The proposed multi-lane free flow system will allow vehicles to pass through toll plazas without stopping at physical barriers, potentially reducing tolling time to 10 seconds or less.

FASTag has already transformed toll collection, with more than 98% penetration at National Highway toll plazas and over 13 crore FASTags issued. Gadkari said faster tolling could generate significant economic benefits, including an estimated annual saving of ₹68,500 crore in the value of time and 56 crore litres of fuel.

The minister also launched FASTag portability, allowing vehicle owners to link an existing FASTag to a new bank account. Gadkari said combining FASTag with automatic number plate recognition could increase toll revenues by around ₹10,000 crore annually while creating new opportunities for fintech companies and supporting a connected digital mobility ecosystem.

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