Modi government has taken a big and important decision regarding toll tax. The Union Ministry of Road and Transport has issued a new notification, which states that now those private vehicle drivers who use Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) will not have to pay toll tax. Apart from this, if these drivers travel a distance of 20 kilometers or less on a toll road, they will get relief from toll tax.
New notification of the Union Ministry
According to the notification issued by the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, now the drivers of private vehicles in which GNSS system will be working will be exempted from toll tax for the first 20 kilometers of travel while traveling on the toll road. This arrangement will benefit only those vehicles in which Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) is installed and the driver will travel only up to 20 kilometers. However, if the driver travels a distance of more than 20 kilometers, he will have to pay toll tax according to the actual travel distance. The ministry has planned to implement this system across the country, so that private vehicle owners can get relief.
What is GNSS and its use?
Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) is a modern technology used for vehicle tracking and navigation. This technology is similar to GPS (Global Positioning System), which detects the exact position and travel route of the vehicle. This system has recently been implemented by the Ministry of Road and Transport as a toll collection system in conjunction with Fastag. The journey of the vehicle is tracked through the GNSS system, and toll fees are calculated on this basis. This system is already being used on some major highways and expressways.
GNSS implemented as a pilot project
However, this system has not been implemented across the country. At present, it has been implemented in Karnataka and Haryana as a pilot project. This new system is being tested between Bengaluru and Mysore on National Highway 275 in Karnataka, and between Panipat and Hisar on National Highway 709 in Haryana. Based on the results of testing the GNSS-based toll collection system in these areas, the government will decide to implement it across the country. The objective of this pilot project is to ensure that this system is working in a technically accurate and effective manner. If its use in Karnataka and Haryana is successful, then this technology will be implemented in other states as well.
Improvement in the toll policy of the government
This step has been taken by the Union Road and Transport Ministry to make toll tax collection more transparent and convenient. Under this, now drivers will have to pay toll based on the actual distance traveled, which will bring transparency in toll collection. Also, the toll collection process will also be fast and accurate with the GNSS based system, which will reduce long queues and chances of fraud.
How will you get the benefit?
The new system will benefit those who travel short distances and whose vehicles have GNSS system. For example, if a person travels from a small town or village to a nearby toll road and travels a distance of less than 20 km, he will not have to pay toll tax. This will also reduce the total travel cost of the passengers and provide relief to them. Apart from this, this system will also provide transparency to the government in toll collection, and better management of the road network will be possible.
This system will be implemented across the country in the coming time
. As mentioned earlier, currently the GNSS based toll collection system has been implemented as a pilot project in Karnataka and Haryana. If the success report of this system comes positive, then it will also be implemented on other major highways and expressways of the country. This will not only provide relief to private vehicle owners, but this system will make the toll road network across the country more smart and efficient.
This new step of the Modi government is an important initiative towards making the toll tax system digital and more transparent. This new system will not only provide relief to private drivers, but it is also a step towards improvement and development in the road transport sector. After the successful use of the GNSS-based toll system, this technology is likely to be expanded across the country, making the toll collection process more convenient and transparent.
