New Delhi, Dec 18: Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari revealed during Lok Sabha Question Hour that India will roll out AI-powered seamless toll collection across all 1,050 toll plazas—350 private, 700 government—by 2026, allowing cars to cruise at 80 km/h without halting for FASTag deductions. Since August 15, 2025 launch, 40 lakh annual FASTag passes have been issued in four months, offering private vehicles 200 toll crossings for just Rs 3,000 yearly—averaging Rs 15 per plaza versus Rs 15,000 otherwise.
The annual pass eliminates frequent recharges via one-time payment, slashing costs dramatically for frequent highway users. Gadkari emphasized this upgrade replaces stop-go plazas, ushering frictionless travel nationwide—echoing J&K’s GPS mineral tracking push for transparency amid development drives like LG Sinha’s Rs 15-20K crore mining revenue goal.
