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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BJP Kalkaji candidate Bidhuri attacks Atishi over surname, AAP calls party 'anti-women'
New Delhi, Jan 5: BJP's Kalkaji candidate Ramesh Bidhuri on Sunday courted yet another controversy, targetting this time Delhi Chief minister Atishi over her surname.
Speaking at BJP's 'Parivartan Rally' in Rohini that was later addressed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Bidhuri said Atishi changed her surname from "Marlena" to "Singh".
Atishi, who is the sitting MLA from Kalkaji seat, dropped her surname a while back.
"This Marlena (surname used earlier by Atishi) became Singh, changed name. Kejriwal swore over his children not to go with the corrupt Congress, Marlena changed father. Earlier she was Marlena, now she has become Singh. This is their character," Bidhuri charged.
As the video of Bidhuri's speech showed up on the internet, AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal lashed at the BJP saying its leaders crossed all the limits of "shamelessness."
"BJP leaders are hurling abuses at Delhi chief minister Atishi ji. Delhi people will not tolerate the insult of a woman chief minister. All the women in Delhi will take a revenge of this," he said in a post on X.
The AAP in a statement said Bidhuri's "abusive remarks" against a female chief minister exposed the BJP's "anti-women" mindset.
"If he behaves this way now, imagine the treatment ordinary women would face if he mistakenly becomes an MLA," said the ruling party in Delhi.
The party said Kejriwal's promise of Rs 2,100 monthly allowance for the city's women has rattled the BJP.
Delhi will teach the BJP and Ramesh Bidhuri a lesson by defeating him, the AAP asserted.
The elections for 70 member Delhi Assembly are due in February.
BJP नेता रमेश बिधूड़ी ने जिस तरह की भाषा का इस्तेमाल महिला मुख्यमंत्री आतिशी जी को लेकर किया है, वह उनकी मानसिकता को दिखाता है।
— AAP (@AamAadmiParty) January 5, 2025
ये लोग महिला मुख्यमंत्री को लेकर ऐसी बातें कर सकते हैं तो अगर गलती से भी ये जीत गए तो आम महिलाओं के प्रति इनका क्या व्यवहार होगा।
-@PKakkar_ pic.twitter.com/r3ZNTpOE83
Ramesh Bidhuri openly insults CM @AtishiAAP.
— Manu🇮🇳🇮🇳 (@mshahi0024) January 5, 2025
This shameless individual is the blue eye boy of @narendramodi's ecosystem.
First, he insulted Priyanka Vadra; now he is abusing Atishi Ji.
BJP's vision for Delhi: deploying thugs, abusers in Assembly.pic.twitter.com/4U77PGLKha
