NEW DELHI: In a first, NHAI will rope in a bank to collect user fee on a highway stretch, marking a paradigm shift in the tolling system in the country. It has invited bids for selecting an acquirer bank for country’s first multi-lane free flow (MLFF) toll collection on the recently-opened Dwarka Expressway.
The MLFF tolling stretch will have no physical plaza. The tolling system will consist of field equipment and sensors mounted on gantries, which will capture information from passing vehicles. This data will be transmitted to the electronic toll payment system for the deduction of user fee.
There will be no need for a separate toll collector or operator. Banks that offer maximum revenue share will get the tolling rights.
The 28-km urban expressway will have only one tolling point at the Delhi-Gurgaon border, about 9 km from the Delhi side. Only vehicles crossing this point will have to pay user fee. Govt has not yet notified the toll rate for the stretch. The successful bidder, which will get the tolling right for three years, will have to put the system in place within three months of securing the contract.
Considering that banks have no expertise in direct toll collection, NHAI’s subsidiary responsible for tolling, IHMCL has allowed them to engage sub-contractors to carry out the task. As per the bid document, the sub-contractors must have the experience of implementing MLFF-based tolling on at least 200 km and for 10 years in India or abroad.
NHAI is looking at bringing more new greenfield expressways under MLFF to reduce congestion, pollution and make travel hassle-free. “Since banks are regulated by RBI, they will follow a more transparent system and there will be no leakage of revenue,” said an official.
While the acquirer bank will deduct toll from the Fastag wallet, the system will also flag vehicles with faulty tags or no tags. It will automatically share the details of non-payment of tolls with the Vahan database, the central depository of registered vehicles. Pending toll will be reflected on the Vahan portal or app with the vehicle’s photo for evidence when the owner logs in. Clearing pending dues will be made mandatory for getting NOC and fitness certificate.