The pilot implementation of the ANPR based system has been implemented along stretches of Delhi-Meerut Expressway.
The NHAI intends to introduce this technology progressively to additional expressways and national highways, with the Bengaluru-Mysuru expressway being one of the initial highways to implement it.
The Bengaluru-Mysuru expressway is set to become one of the few national highways to eliminate toll plazas and adopt open road tolling that involves the use of automated cameras.
As per a report by Deccan Herald, the NHAI is working on a plan to use Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) technology to collect toll charges on the newly upgraded national highway, an official said.
The pilot implementation of the ANPR based system has been implemented along stretches of Delhi-Meerut Expressway.
The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) intends to introduce this technology progressively to additional expressways and national highways, with the Bengaluru-Mysuru expressway being one of the initial highways to implement it.
Vivek Jaiswal, regional officer (Bengaluru), NHAI, confirmed the plan, but did not specify a deadline.
Built at a cost of Rs 9,000 crore, the 118 km access-controlled highway cuts down the travel time between the two key cities in Karnataka to just 90 minutes.
It was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 12 March 2023.
The 10-lane expressway was executed as two distinct packages — Phase-1 between Bengaluru and Nidaghatta, and Phase-2 between Nidaghatta and Mysuru.
Currently, the Bengaluru-Nidaghatta expressway spanning 55.63 km has two toll plazas — located in Bengaluru Urban and Ramanagar’s Sheshagirihalli.
Once the 61 km Nidaghatta-Mysuru section is complete, the NHAI intends to construct two additional toll plazas on this stretch.
At the toll plazas located in Kaniminike and Seshagirihalli, motorists have complained about extended waiting times and long queues with electronic fee collection system implemented through FASTag.
The introduction of ANPR technology will aim to resolve one of the major complaints of expressway users.
ANPR System
The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has appointed a consultant agency for detailed study on ANPR technology.
In this system, applicable user fees is deducted from user account based on the entry and exit of the vehicles.
It will utilise open road tolling that involves the use of automated cameras capable of recognising vehicles on the highway and collecting tolls electronically.
Through this technology, the commuters are expected to pay only for the distance they travelled and ‘fixed toll’ tax may discontinue on the expressway.
This charging system will not have any stationary tolling booths.
The introduction of this digital toll collection system is expected to reduce the congestion, fuel wastage, time consumption and other issues that may occur with the stationary toll booths on busy expressways.