NEW DELHI: The introduction of GNSS-based tolling on national highways (NHs) in India is likely to be delayed, as senior government officials have informed a Parliamentary panel that the new system will only be rolled out once India has its own constellation of navigational satellites with full coverage.
According to sources, in response to a query about the new tolling mechanism, a senior official from the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways told the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Transport and Tourism, led by JD(U) MP Sanjay Jha, that India’s own satellite navigation system is essential to safeguard citizens’ privacy and ensure data security. The official emphasized that the government will not rely on foreign navigational systems for this purpose.
This update comes despite Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari’s earlier statements that the government plans to soon implement the new toll collection system, which would eliminate physical toll barriers and offer relief to highway commuters. Gadkari also highlighted that the Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) would ensure tolls are based on the exact distance traveled on a highway.
GNSS is a network of satellites that provides positioning, navigation, and timing services. Although India has its own Navigation with Indian Constellation (NavIC) system, it faces limitations. Unlike global systems like GPS or Galileo, NavIC is a regional system, with coverage limited to India and surrounding regions.
Officials also cited the crash of a plane last year, which was partially attributed to GNSS disruptions, as an example of the importance of reliable navigation technology. They stressed that the new tolling system will use India’s own navigation system to ensure security and accuracy.
Meanwhile, the recommendations of a high-powered committee set up by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways on the rollout of GNSS-based tolling are still awaited, and will help shape the roadmap for implementation.
Currently, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has started inviting tenders for the multi-lane free flow (MLFF) tolling mechanism, which also does not involve physical toll plazas. In the MLFF system, field equipment and sensors mounted on gantries capture data from passing vehicles, which is then transmitted to the electronic toll payment system to deduct the toll fee from the vehicle’s FASTag.
