In collaboration with ThinkInfra, Primus Partners organized a roundtable conference at India International Centre (IIC), New Delhi and launched the approach paper on “Barrierless Tolling in India: Towards Efficient, Sustainable & Innovative Infra”. The report was officially released by Shri Nitin Gadkari, Hon’ble Minister of Road Transport & Highways, reflecting the Government of India’s commitment towards modernizing India’s highway infrastructure and introducing innovative technologies for efficient toll collection.
The conference brought together senior government officials from MoRTH, IHMCL, NHAI, global industry leaders from Telematika, Skytoll, Kapsch, the former ISRO chairman, and representatives from VISA, Policy Bazaar, SatCom Industry Association-India as well as legal and policy experts, marking a significant convergence of expertise in the field. The event was supported by Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) India Forum, SatCom Industry Association-India (SIA-India), National Highways Builders Federation (NHBF).
The approach paper is a result of extensive research, rigorous interviews, and collaboration with over 50 global and domestic stakeholders spanning telematics, GNSS technology, highway operations, the payments ecosystem, policy, and legal domains. It encapsulates global success stories, technology standards, policy considerations, and strategic implementation insights. The report also emphasizes the substantial economic, environmental, and operational benefits, including savings on fuel costs, reduction in CO₂ emissions, and enhanced toll collection efficiency.
It envisions a transformative shift from the current FASTag system to a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS)-based barrierless tolling framework. This distance-based tolling model aims to eliminate physical toll plazas, reduce congestion, and ensure equitable, usage-based pricing. Leveraging indigenous technology like NavIC, the system promises precise vehicle tracking and secure transactions.
The roadmap outlined aims to make India’s highways smarter, greener, and more user-friendly by integrating AI-powered enforcement, Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR), geofencing, and robust data privacy measures.
