AI to Oversee Toll Collections on National Highways: Nitin Gadkari's Vision for Transparent Roadways

Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari, highlighted the National Highways Authority of India's (NHAI) initiative to incorporate artificial intelligence (AI) in monitoring toll collections across national highways. This move aims to bolster transparency and accuracy in toll operations. The NHAI is considering the deployment of audit cameras equipped with AI capabilities at major toll plazas. These advanced systems are designed to independently track and classify vehicles as they pass through, ensuring that toll collections align precisely with vehicular data. This initiative was partly spurred by a recent incident at the Atraila Shiv Gulam fee plaza in Mirzapur, Uttar Pradesh. It was discovered that while full cash payments were collected from motorists, a portion of these transactions was processed using unauthorized handheld devices, bypassing the official toll management system. In response, the NHAI is strengthening its cash collection protocols, especially for vehicles without valid FASTags, and is enhancing surveillance measures to ensure that vehicle counts and toll receipts are meticulously reconciled. Minister Gadkari also addressed a query from DMK MP Dayanidhi Maran regarding governmental measures to combat toll collection fraud on national highways. In his response, Gadkari emphasized the importance of adopting innovative technologies to uphold the integrity of toll operations. As part of a pilot program aimed at creating barrier-less toll collection systems, the NHAI has invited bids for implementing a system that integrates FASTag and Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) technology at five selected toll plazas: Gharaunda, Choryasi, Nemili, Urban Extension Road-II, and the Dwarka Expressway. This system is designed to facilitate user fee collection exclusively through FASTag, with electronic notices proposed for vehicles without valid FASTags, thereby eliminating cash transactions from the toll collection process. Currently, over 98% of user fee collections on national highways are conducted through the FASTag system, under the National Electronic Toll Collection (NETC) program, with the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) serving as the central clearinghouse. This electronic toll collection system ensures a transparent process, where deducted toll amounts are promptly communicated to highway users and recorded in a central repository. The system is structured such that no FASTag transaction can occur without the coordinated involvement of three key stakeholders: the acquirer bank at the toll plaza, NPCI, and the issuer bank. For cash transactions, the user fee is collected through the toll management system software, ensuring that all transactions are systematically recorded and monitored. The integration of AI and other advanced technologies into toll collection processes reflects the government's commitment to enhancing efficiency, transparency, and accountability in the management of national highways. By embracing these technological advancements, the NHAI aims to provide a more seamless and trustworthy experience for motorists, ensuring that toll collections are fair, accurate, and free from fraudulent activities.