Country's 1st RFID Toll Plaza opens today

India is going to witness country's first RFID based toll plaza where the commuters do not have to wait to pay their toll taxes. The technology would enable the users make contactless payment and get the receipts online.

The toll plaza at Chandimandir, Punchkula (Haryana), is being inaugurated today by CP Joshi, minister for Raod Transport and Highways.

Using RFID tags is extremely simple to use and administer, requiring no actions on the part of the user. As per the plan,for updating toll data, two tier database structure will be deployed, one at the Plaza level and other at the National level (Central Clearing House). The entire transaction details of all the tag accounts will be stored in the Central Database. Before issuance of RFID tags, the road users need to register with the agency with the basic details like name, address, vehicle type, vehicle registration no. etc. The information will be stored in the central database along with the unique identification code of Tag. To begin with, 1-2 lanes in each direction will be dedicated for Electronic Toll Collection (ETC) at each toll plaza. The number of ETC lanes may be increased depending on the no. of tag users.

Each ETC lane will be equipped with Automatic Vehicle Classification (AVC) system for cross verification of vehicle categories to avoid any misuse of tags. The ETC management software will compare the class of vehicle as per the tag account and the AVC class. In case of discrepancy, the system triggers the Camera fitted in lane and computers the image of the vehicle along with the number plate. The information will be used for the enforcement of violated vehicles.

A centralized back office operation or Central Toll Clearing House is mandatory for the operation of nation-wide ETC systems. The Central Clearing House concept is a transaction management system which will enable multiple Toll Collection Agencies to share toll transaction data and revenue reconciliation.

Irrespective of the toll plazas being operated by NHAI or BOT concessionaires, the readers at toll plazas will read tag Ids and send this along with the Plaza ID to the Central Clearing House. The CCH system will debit the applicable amount from the account of road users. The CCH will at the end of the day send files to every toll plaza operators for their receivables for that particular day. Such files will be sent to the bank for conducting financial settlements to the particular bank accounts of all the toll collecting agencies.