Bhubaneswar: In a bid to make travelling in government-run buses hassle free, the state government Tuesday launched automatic toll collection system ‘FASTag’ for Orissa State Road Transport Corporation (OSRTC) buses.
Commerce and Transport Minister Nrusingha Charan Sahu launched the initiative here at a function. With the launching of this system, the OSRTC buses have no need to wait in queue at toll plazas for paying tax, Sahu said, adding, this system will also save time and fuel.
OSRTC’s chairman-cum-managing director KB Singh said, “It will increase the efficiency and help us clearing weekly profit.” This system to be made mandatory for all the government and private buses running in the state from April 1, Singh said.
This initiative was implemented after the government signed an MoU with the State Bank of India (SBI) to make travelling time friendly.
The buses will get the tags displayed on the front glass of their buses which would automatically give them a green signal at the highway toll plazas. The ‘Fastag’ is powered by RFID technology. Without stopping at the toll plaza, the ‘Fastag’ automatically pays the required toll at the toll plazas online, source said. Toll amount will be automatically deducted from OSRTC’s account without waiting at toll plaza, the source said.
FASTag is presently operational at 180 toll plazas across national and state highways. OSRTC is now paying around Rs, 1.7 crore per annum for toll fees at different toll plazas. With the introduction of the automated system, the Union Ministry of Roads, Transport and Highways will provide a discount of 7.5 per cent on the toll fee for using these tags, they added.
PNN
