[FanaticOnWheels]

I don't really understand the need for this change. The Fastag works efficiently and with near zero hassles. I've always had smooth experiences so far in all my highway drives. There is also talks in my housing society to integrate the Fastag with the boom barrier for entry into the society. Why move to GPS where there are known issues of the GPS not locking properly at times plus there is always an error margin of a few meters (or more).

[Reinhard]

Originally Posted by FanaticOnWheels

I don't really understand the need for this change.

Aligned with that, do you think straight up-down "flyovers" at junctions in cities like Pune actually help solve problems?

These kind of changes are quite often not aimed at improving anything at all. They are to create ways of spending tax-payers' money easily, under the guise of development, where nobody really questions who got the contract, and how much money they really made. Add steps, add hype, create a lot of data-points that nobody has time to read and spend easy money . Thats what it always is. Keep destroying and rebuilding things at the same place, multiple times within the same generation's lifespan. We the tax payers can only be mute spectators who are not strong enough to go ahead and try to win such contracts ourselves .

[locusjag]

Originally Posted by FanaticOnWheels

I don't really understand the need for this change.

First up - I am understanding that Shri Gadkari has a GPS based solution that obviates/eliminates all toll booths. Based on this understanding, the following are my thoughts on the topic.

Having a toll booth with a barrier on an otherwise free-flowing highway creates a bottleneck. Fastag has sped up the idling time for traffic at toll booths, certainly. But it still necessitates a stop and go routine for vehicles.

Hence, as a result of toll booths, all vehicles currently suffer a fall in the average speed and the miles covered per day for trucks suffers a fall. Now, the miles covered per day by trucks directly correlates to the nations GDP growth; when fastag was rolled out, estimates were even provided on the % improvement in GDP growth as a result of lesser time spent by rolling stock of inventories on all our highways. Similar estimates were provided when trucks could carry a GST self-declaration and keep chugging on, instead of wasting time at inter-state RTO checkpoints.

Toll booths are also invitations for disaster, since braking and last minute lane changes are involved by all manner of vehicles. The state of Massachussetts in the US had one horrible crash in 2016 where a speeding driver killed a toll booth operator; the entire booth was flattened. The state went on to quickly implement cameras where the booths once stood; all passing vehicles get their number plates snapped and an algorithm matches the number to an Ez-Pass (their version of fastag) on file or else it snail-mails out a bill to the registered address. As a result, you can keep driving at 70 miles per hour and not have to stop anywhere on Massachussetts' highways today.

It makes sense ergo, to obviate toll booths on our highways - for the economy, environment and safety of everyone concerned.

Lastly, the GPS thingy seems to promise a pay-as-you-drive kind of tolling for road users. There will be marginal benefits for us based off of it.

Is this GPS thing coming too soon on the tail of the fastag rollout? Perhaps.

[FanaticOnWheels]

Originally Posted by locusjag

First up - I am understanding that Shri Gadkari has a GPS based solution that obviates/eliminates all toll booths. Based on this understanding, the following are my thoughts on the topic.

Fair points, but I am still skeptical if we need a GPS based solution for this. If the main concern is about how toll booths impede free movement on a highway, a simple solution would've been to have toll booths at the freeway/highway exits instead. That way, you drive through the highway till you reach your destination, and most likely need to go through one toll booth. With Fastag, the congestion at toll booths have come down.

I also feel toll booths quite often provide much needed logical breaks while driving long distances, especially with family. Restroom breaks, tender coconuts, etc . But of course, if there is a way of making the drive on a highway smoother, I am all for it. I just feel GPS is overkill, and too much information for something much simpler. Tags are seamless, and much more reliable. These are my 2 paisa.

[top_gear]

Originally Posted by lordtottuu

I would be extremely wary of giving the government continuous, unfiltered access to my vehicle's GPS data, specially given the extremely lax perspective they have around privacy. Not to mention that between the abhorrent fuel cost, road taxes, cess on everything, running a car in India is expensive already. I hope the policy dies a quick death in committee.

Pardon my awareness regarding this GPS based toll system being discussed in India. I come from strong technical background with sound understanding of vehicle tracking solutions.

I am just trying to understand, under this new proposed toll system , will every "Personal" car owner will be forced for having GPS device installed in car? If yes, what happens to "Privacy"? and charges towards telecom sim and GPS box.

Telecom and GPS device manufacturer seems to be clear winners in this propositions looking at number of cars in India.

On other hand, this will fantastic base for something called Usage Based Insurance pricing. Today, a car running 500KM (Low claim risk) in year pays same insurance price as car running 50,000 KM (High claim risk).

Ideally, we should do away with concept of Toll altogether in India considering multi layered taxation system.

[bejoy]

https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1854426

NHAI Organises Workshop on Global Navigation Satellite System (GPS) Based Tolling

NHAI organised a day-long stakeholder consultation workshop on Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) based tolling in India. The objective of the workshop was to seek input and suggestion from various industry experts and stakeholders on different aspects of the GNSS-based tolling system. The workshop will help strategise and design the future roadmap for free-flow tolling system in India based on GNSS technology.

Various stakeholders including relevant government departments, ISRO, NIC, and industry players such as Vehicle Manufacturers, AIS-140 On-Board Unit (OBU) manufacturers, Global GNSS service providers, Banks, Payment Aggregators/Gateway Service providers were invited for deliberations on GNSS based tolling system. Sessions and presentations were held with consultants & industry experts on global best practices for GNSS based tolling, discussions were held on the findings of the pilot carried out by NHAI on Delhi – Mumbai corridor and various aspects of GNSS architecture, payment settlement process, proposed enforcement measures and discussion on legal framework requirements were also discussed.

Speaking on the occasion Shri Giridhar Aramane, Secretary, Ministry of Road Transport & Highways said that “The stakeholder consultation is important to discuss various issues involved in GNSS based tolling deployment and seeking suggestions. We have to ensure that the process of toll collection is seamless. To achieve this objective, we need to have a technology framework that will enable us to operate in an efficient way, is economical and acceptable to various stakeholders.”

In her address NHAI Chairperson Smt. Alka Upadhyaya said, “We are pleased to organize this session and deliberate with stakeholders on what could be the likely way forward on deployment of GNSS based tolling in India. This session will help us to get inputs from the experts who have come from other parts of the world and will help us to address various challenges that we may face in planning and rollout of GNSS based tolling across the country.”

In the proposed GNSS technology-based tolling system, the NH stretch will be geo-fenced and shall consist of virtual tolling points. Whenever a vehicle fitted with GNSS OBU shall pass through this virtual tolling points, information on distance travelled will be calculated based on satellite signals from multi-constellation such as NaVIC, GPS etc. and applicable fee shall be computed by the central GNSS software system and deducted from the users’ bank account linked to the OBU.

[OrangeCar]

Originally Posted by fz_rider

“We have finalized a GPS system with the help of Russian government. In two years, India will be toll naka mukt," Gadkari said at the ASSOCHAM Foundation Week on Thursday.

Originally Posted by OrangeCar

And.. if in two years this does not happen, will the minister be held accountable? Or at least the folks who gave the presentation? Or at least the dude who served tea during the presentation? Oh wait.. I should not be raising such questions I guess.

As per the minister there should not have been any more toll booths in the country.

But we know that isn't the case. Even the newest highways/expressways built have them.

So I wonder if this minister only shoots and scoots? No accountability. No questioning him on such promises.

If this is not pointed out.. he will continue to say things like petrol price could be brought down to Rs. 15/- liter. Source.

[aseem23]

Originally Posted by OrangeCar

As per the minister there should not have been any more toll booths in the country.

If this is not pointed out.. he will continue to say things like petrol price could be brought down to Rs. 15/- liter. Source.

It was just another jhumla just like so many other things. Better to just ignore what the government says in the parliament because it won’t see light of the day. Even the government knows that with media management they won’t be held accountable. So just say anything and forget about it.

[Sandegov]

Here is the latest on this, Bangalore-Mysore highway to get the first gps toll system :

https://newsable.asianetnews.com/ind...tem-vkp-s6vnsh