NHAI invites bids for barrier-less tolling at Gharonda plaza on Delhi-Chandigarh NH | India News – Times of India

NEW DELHI: The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has invited bids for barrier-less tolling at the Gharonda plaza on the Delhi-Chandigarh highway in the National Capital Region. This is the second such tender that the authority has floated to bring more highway stretches under the “Free Flow Tolling” system.
Under this system, there will be no physical toll plaza or barrier, thereby eliminating the need for vehicles to slow down to pay user fee. Officials said advanced FASTag readers, which can read the smart tags fixed on vehicles moving at even 100 kmph, and high-power cameras to read the registration number will be fixed on overhead gantries across lanes for deducting toll amount automatically.
Earlier, the NHAI had floated a tender for a similar system at the Delhi-Gurgaon border for the newly built Dwarka Expressway, and the process to select a player is underway. This system will eliminate the need for vehicles to slow down to pay toll.
As per the bid document, banks and financial institutions can submit their bids. The bank that offers maximum revenue share will get the tolling rights. There will be no need for a separate toll collector or operator.
Officials said the highways authority has invited bids only for one toll plaza on the Delhi-Chandigarh highways, as this is the only public funded one, which means toll collected at Gharonda plaza goes to the NHAI. “So, even if there is any loss of toll revenue during the few months because of non-compliant commuters, the NHAI will bear it. If we go for this barrier-less tolling at plazas that are under private players, they may raise claims of revenue loss. Nevertheless, this new tolling system will be expanded across NH stretches in the country,” said an official.