Govt to introduce GPS-based highway toll collection system by March 2024: Nitin Gadkari
New Delhi, Dec 20: The government will introduce new technologies, including GPS-based toll collection systems, by March next year to replace existing highway toll plazas, Union minister Nitin Gadkari said on Wednesday.
The move is aimed at reducing traffic congestion and charging motorists for the exact distance travelled on the highways.
"The government is looking at new technologies, including GPS-based toll systems to replace toll plazas in the country... we will start new GPS satellite-based toll collection across the country by March next year," he said at an event here.
The road transport and highways minister said his ministry has conducted two pilot projects of automatic number plate recognition system (automatic number plate reader cameras) to enable automated toll collection without stopping the vehicles.
During 2018-19, the average waiting time for vehicles at toll plaza was 8 minutes. With the introduction of FASTags during 2020-21 and 2021-22, the average waiting time of the vehicles was reduced to 47 seconds.
Although there is considerable improvement in waiting time at certain locations, especially near cities, in densely-populated towns, there are still some delays at toll plazas during peak hours.
Meanwhile, Gadkari said the government will bid out road projects worth Rs 1.5-2 lakh crore on the Build Operate Transfer (BOT) model for highway projects of less than 1,000 kilometres length before the Model Code of Conduct comes into effect for the general elections next year.
The general elections are scheduled for April-May 2024.
"Going forward, we will favour Infrastructure Investment Trusts (InvITs) model mostly for highway construction," he said.
InvITs are instruments designed to pool money from investors and invest in assets that will provide cash flows over a period of time.
Gadkari also urged highway contractors to reduce the cost of construction without compromising on the quality.
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Bihar: Over 150 children fall ill after consuming 'mid-day meal' in Saharsa
Saharsa (PTI): More than 150 children were taken ill after allegedly consuming food that was part of the mid-day meal in a school in Bihar’s Saharsa district, a senior official said on Thursday.
The incident occurred at a middle school in Baluaha village of the district.
The official said that 115 children were undergoing treatment at the Sadar Hospital, while around 50 students were admitted to Mahishi Public Health Centre.
“We received information that several children fell ill after consuming the mid-day meal in Baluaha. The children were initially treated at the primary health centre, but later, many were referred to the Sadar Hospital,” Saharsa District Magistrate Deepesh Kumar told reporters.
“According to doctors, the health condition of the children has improved, but they will be kept under observation for some time. There is no need to panic. Some kids are having mild fever. They are being treated accordingly,” Kumar said.
Meanwhile, family members of some children claimed that a snake was found in the container in which cooked pulses was stored at the school.
Of the 545 students present in the school, 200 had already eaten their meals by the time the snake was spotted, and later complained of stomach ache and vomiting, they said.
Regarding the claims, the DM said food samples have been collected from the school.
“We will be able to comment on this only after the results of the tested samples arrive,” he said.
