Presently, we are paying our toll charges through electronic mode Fastag in place of manual toll booths. This is a major shift in toll charging technology as well as savings of time and money. Previously, the time spent at the toll plaza of a vehicle was 8 minutes on an average, which reduced to about 50 seconds now. But, still there is scope of improvement in savings of time. If we talk about savings of money, then here also there is scope as presently we have to pay toll for the distance between 2 toll plazas even if we want to use only a part of highway. Means there is no rebate for using less part of highway.
All these are possible when toll charges will be collected using Automatic Number Plate Reader (ANPR) technology or GPS based toll charging in India. In this article, we’ll be discussing below about Automatic Number Plate Reader (ANPR) technology.
Automatic Number Plate Reader (ANPR) technology details:
What is Automatic Number Plate Reader (ANPR) technology? In this technology, there will be ANPR cameras installed at various locations of Highway, instead of toll booths or plazas. These ANPR cameras will capture the number plate of vehicle. The vehicle’s entry point and exit point will be recorded using number plate. And according to the toll charge slab or toll charge matrix, the charge will be calculated and deducted from the linked bank accounts of vehicle owners.
So, the toll charges for using the highway will be different for user of using 10 km and user of 50 km.
Why bringing ANPR in place of Fastag:
Fastag is successful in comparison to manual toll collection, but Fastag has its own problems like:
- User having low-balance or blacklisted Fastag, taking more time to resolve the issue.
- Internet-connectivity problem in updating the low-balance of user in some remote areas.
- Wear-and-tear of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) reader and tag.
- Improper affixation of Fastag by users, taking processing time longer.
- There is no provision to deduct the lesser toll charge, if using less part of highway.
Challenges in implementation of Automatic Number Plate Reader (ANPR) technology toll charging?
- The ANPR cameras can read the 9-lettered vehicle number plates only (mostly HSRP), which is fitted in vehicles after 2019.
- The ANPR cameras can’t scan the number plates bearing the additional text or symbols like name of God, or photo of anything.
- The ANPR cameras won’t be able to scan the soiled number or hidden number plate.
- If The ANPR cameras can’t scan, then how to collect toll charge from those vehicles?
Where Automatic Number Plate Reader (ANPR) technology toll charging is used presently in India?
A pilot implementation of the Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) based system has been implemented along stretches of Delhi-Meerut Expressway. In this system, applicable user fee is deducted from Fastag based on the entry and exit of the vehicles as captured by ANPR cameras installed at various entry and exit locations on Delhi-Meerut Expressway.