NHAI to implement barrier-free tolling via number plate recognition system on highways spanning 20,000 kms

The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) plans to roll out Video Incident Detection and Enforcement System (VIDES) gantries across national highways spanning 20,000 kms.

VIDES system uses artificial intelligence and cameras installed on a gantry to ensure number plate recognition based barrier-free tolling and tracking traffic violations for seamless movement on the national highways.

A top NHAI source said Advanced Traffic Management System has been installed across 325 projects. “It is now being proposed that the supplement it with VIDES gantry, as was done in the Bengaluru – Mysuru expressway,” the official said.  

The official pointed out that one of the key benefits of VIDES is that it will ensure Automatic Number Plate Recognition’ (ANPR) technology, with the help of which vehicles will not need to stop at the toll plazas for the FASTAGS to be scanned. “This will make the travel seamless on the national highways and reduce travel time,” added the official.

Earlier this year, the ministry of road transport and highways said in the Lok Sabha that in order to enable seamless, barrier-free movement of vehicles through toll plazas and reduce travel time ‘ANPR-FASTag-based Barrier-Less Tolling System’ will be implemented at selected toll plazas.

“The advanced tolling system will combine ‘Automatic Number Plate Recognition’ (ANPR) technology, that will identify vehicles by reading their number plates, and the existing ‘FASTag system’ that uses Radio-Frequency Identification (RFID) for toll deduction. Under this, vehicles will be charged based on their identification through high performance ANPR cameras and FASTag Readers, without needing to stop at the toll plazas,” said the ministry in a reply in Lok Sabha in April this year.

“In case of non-compliance, E-Notices will be served to the violators, non-payment of which may result in suspension of FASTag and other VAHAN related penalties,” it added.

It may be noted that the ministry is also working on satellite-based tolling system, which will eventually replace the FASTag system. However, the government has clarified that the ministry or the NHAI have not issued any timeline for the national launch of the satellite-based tolling in the country.

It may be noted that the NHAI has invited bids for ANPR-FASTag Tolling System to be installed.

A VIDES gantry is an overhead structure with connected AI enabled monitoring cameras and equipment for the purpose of incident detection and enforcement. The integrated system can detect over speeding, lane violations, seatbelt violations, and incidents like car crash or fog, etc. ANPR is part of the overall ecosystem of the VIDES gantry. The system is enabled to alert the authorities of violations and issue e-challans.