Free highway travel for GNSS-fitted vehicles up to 20 km: What is satellite-based toll and how it differs from FASTag

Private vehicles fitted with functional global navigation satellite system (GNSS) can now travel toll-free on National Highways and expressways up to 20 kilometres a day. This comes after the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways amended the National Highways Fee (Determination of Rates and Collection) Rules, 2008, which came into effect on Tuesday.

Under the new regulations, the government will charge fees based on the actual distance covered if it exceeds 20 kilometres.

National Highways Fee (Determination of Rates and Collection) Amendment Rules, 2024: Highlights

"Provided also that exclusive lane can be earmarked for Global Navigation Satellite System Onboard Unit fitted vehicle and in case vehicle enters such lane, without a valid, functional Global Navigation Satellite System Onboard Unit, shall pay a fee equivalent to two times of the user fee applicable at that fee plaza," it added.

The pilot study is being undertaken at the Panipat-Hisar section of NH-709 (Haryana) and the Bengaluru-Mysore section of NH-275 (Karnataka).

The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) intends to deploy a GNSS-based electronic toll collection system within the present FASTag ecosystem, with both systems operating simultaneously.

How will the satellite-based GPS electronic toll collection system be different from FASTag?

The new highway toll collection system will use the global navigation satellite system (GNSS) to track the accurate location. GNSS denotes any satellite-based navigation system, including India's GPS Aided GEO Augmented Navigation (GAGAN) and the US' Global Positioning System (GPS).

This system will charge vehicles for the distance they travel on highways. The vehicles will have an onboard unit (OBU) or tracking device to help determine their location.

The national highways' coordinates will be logged using digital image processing, and the toll will be calculated on the basis of the distance travelled.

Implementing GNSS-based electronic toll collection will lead to a barrier-less, free-flow tolling system, facilitating a hassle-free riding experience.

FASTag, which is currently in use, facilitates payment at toll plazas using radio frequency identification (RFID) technology. The RFID tag is fixed on the windscreen of a vehicle, allowing toll payments from the linked account.