e-toll collection to begin by Dec end: Gadkari

Union minister of road transport and highways Nitin Gadkari on Thursday said that the electronic toll collection (ETC) system would be operational across the country from December-end. The Centre has planned to extend facility to all toll plazas in the country by the year-end.

“I have recently cleared the file and directed the officials concerned to fast-track the implementation of electronic toll collection mechanism. The banks roped in for the purpose were facing some problems in its implementation, so we have added some more banks to streamline the toll collection process. The ETC facility will be fully operational by December-end,” Gadkari said, adding that Centre had planned to provide e-toll platform to states for free.

“In times to come, this system will get revolutionalised. This is our step towards a ‘digital India’. This will help save as much as Rs 27,000 crore due to delays caused at tolls. Besides, feul worth Rs 7,000 crore will be saved,” Gadkari said.

On the contentious Land Bill, he said: “We have increased the land compensation, so farmers are handing over their land for various projects in hoards.”

Gadkari said: “In the UPA regime, the average road construction was only 2 km per day, which has been increased by 7 km in the NDA government. I have set a target to construct 100 km road per day.”