FASTag vs ANPR: Indian Highways To Get New Toll Collection System

The Indian govt. is going to launch ANPR systems on the highways & toll plazas, as an upgraded toll collection system. But the question is – Can ANPR replace FASTag in India?

Currently, FASTag is being used on Indian roadways to collect tolls. The Indian government, however, has been working on and is taking into consideration creating a new toll collection mechanism. 

The new method will fundamentally alter how tolls are collected on roadways if it is put into place. 

The proposed program will be a camera-aided toll collection that uses the same technology used to recognise number plates on vehicles traveling on Indian highways.

ANPR is going to change the appearance of the toll plazas. An ANPR (automatic number plate reader) camera is the name of the aforementioned system.

Why should Indians use ANPR?

In India, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has been aiming to facilitate vehicle mobility. By constructing motorways and expressways that connect cities, the government hopes to increase the country’s road connectivity. 

The aforementioned objective is hindered by the lengthy waits and lines at toll plazas. The administration is certain that the ANPR technology would shorten the time that vehicles must wait at toll booths. Therefore, switching the FASTag system will be quite advantageous.

How does ANPR work?

The ANPR reads the license plate of the vehicle and subsequently debits the owner of the vehicle’s connected bank account to pay the toll. 

At the entry and exit locations, ANPR cameras will be installed by the system to photograph passing vehicles’ license plates. 

The ANPR camera will be given instructions to use the connected bank account belonging to the automobile owner to deduct the toll payment.

Is ANPR better than FASTag?

According to the government, ANPR may be more effective than FASTag at easing traffic on Indian roadways. There are some issues with the toll-collection system, though. 

For instance, a substantial proportion of vehicles are left unread by the camera since it only reads number plates fitted by the corporation. 

In other words, since the corporation implemented the policy of OEM-fitted number plates after 2019, the camera won’t be able to detect automobiles sold prior to 2019.

Additionally, several vehicles like trucks frequently have license plates that are concealed from view. 

The number plate of these vehicles frequently becomes dirty, which makes it difficult for the ANPR cameras to recognise them, thus exacerbating the issue. 

There is no option to punish motorists for avoiding toll plazas, which just makes the obstacles worse.