India's satellite tolling rollout faces further delays

Nitin Gadkari, India's Minister for Road Transport, announced on Wednesday that further discussions are needed before satellite-based tolling can be implemented. This statement was made in the Rajya Sabha, indicating potential delays in the roll-out of the new tolling system on highways. Gadkari's comments come after concerns were raised about security, privacy, and operational control. The government has acknowledged that satellite tolling will only proceed once India has its own satellite navigation system in place. This system must provide full coverage and address privacy issues. According to the minister, an expert committee has recommended more deliberations on these matters. They have suggested that projects should initially focus on using systems like automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) and the existing FASTag system for efficient tolling. The minister explained that while India's current navigation system, NavIC, provides some features, additional satellites and receivers are required for accurate satellite tolling. Officials have emphasized that the government will not rely on foreign navigation systems for this project, prioritizing the security of citizen data and privacy protection.