Automatic toll collection on highways soon in Nellore

Nellore: Ground level infrastructure is complete for introduction of RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) based Automatic Toll Collection (ATC) system to provide paperless passage of toll gates with fully automated toll collection on NH 16 (earlier NH 5) from Chennai to Vijayawada in the first phase. The ATC would reduce waiting time in toll queue and make toll payment easier, besides reducing illegal toll gate entry.

A single smart card (RFID tag) would be used for the purpose. Hence, recording manually would no longer be required. The toll operators would issue RFID tags to be affixed to the windshield of vehicles to be read at the toll plazas.

The object detection sensor in the reader installed at the toll plazas would detect the approaching vehicle's tag and toll deduction would be through the prepaid card assigned to the concerned RFID tag that belongs to the owners' account.

The vehicle owner must ensure that there is sufficient balance in the tag account. The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, has decided to roll out ETC programme in the country under the brand name "FASTag".

According to Mr A.B. Rao, general manager of NH, Nellore division, ICICI Bank and Axis bank are providing Central Clearing House (CCH) services and would distribute RFID based "FASTag" through their franchises/agents and at points of sales near the toll plazas.

The banks would be making the tag interoperable such that it can be used across multiple toll collection plazas in the country. The banks would act as a Central Clearing Houses (CCH) for settlement of financial transactions of the toll agencies and update the Tag account status of road users.

This will help minimise the toll operators operating cost and offer them better control through centralised user accounts. Additionally, the government will benefit through improved transparency on toll transactions and reduced revenue leakages, Mr Rao maintained.