Maharashtra's Toll Nakas to go hi tech

The government is set to take its first step towards modernising toll nakas across Maharashtra and its border areas. Commercial vehicles passing through toll nakas located on the state’s borders with Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, Gujarat and Goa will be fitted with the Radio Frequency Identification Device (RFID) to track their movements.These vehicles, while passing through the toll collection centres, will have to go through manual checking initially. Following the manual check-up, the details of the vehicles like insurance, tax and carriage capacity will be fed in the computer and a RFID sticker pasted on the vehicle.Subsequently, whenever this vehicle enters or exits the state through any of the 22 toll nakas located at the border, the newly installed system will transmit its details to the toll centres. The system will thus ensure that the vehicles will not have to wait in long queues for completing the formalities of the state excise, transport and sales tax department.“Maharashtra will be the first state to have such a hitech system at the entry and exit toll nakas,” said Subhash Nage, chief engineer, MSRDC.More than 20 companies have evinced interest in setting up the hi-tech system and bid for the project estimated at over Rs 1,000 crore. Bids will be opened on July 15, said MSRDC sources. The government has to acquire nearly 800 hectares for the project.The government is also installing scanners at important toll nakas on the borders, which will help identify vehicles coming into Maharashtra and prevent smuggling of contraband as well as illegal arms and ammunition. The scanners will be initially made operational at toll centres in Kagal (Karnataka border), Deori (MP) and Achad (Gujarat).
The state is planning to instal an electronic toll collection system at the Bandra-Worli Sea-link. “This toll plaza will be operational from early next year. Later, the system will be introduced at all toll plazas in Mumbai, Pune, Navi Mumbai,’’ said D B Deshpande, secretary, PWD.According to officials, a radio frequency (RF) reader will be put up on each lane of the sea-link and linked to a computer at the toll plaza. The reader will identify each vehicle on the basis of the RF stickers pasted on them and calculate the toll automatically.“We are also working on a system under which vehicle owners can recharge the toll amount through their mobile service providers,” Deshpande said, adding that vehicles that do not ply on a day-today basis will have the option of making manual payment. “There will be a dedicated lane for this.’’