Work on smart tag readers to clear up toll plazas will start in 10 days

NEWDELHI: Nearly one-and-a-half years after it was conceived , a project to install the radio frequency identification technology (RFID) system to read smart cards at 13 toll plazas is expected to be completed by the end of this year.

The South Delhi Municipal Corporation has finalised the tendering process and work will start at these 13 points by the next 10 days.

The system is aimed at avoid congestion at border areas over collection of toll and green cess, restrict entrance of commercial vehicles above 10 years, bring in more transparency to the collection system and count the actual number of commercial vehicles entering the city.

“Last year, too, we had allocated the tender on a built-operate- transfer (BOT) basis to a concessionaire but due to some technical reasons, it could not be implemented on ground,” said a senior SDMC official.

“Taking a lesson from the past, this time we floated the tender only for engineering, procurement and construction of the RFID system. The entire cost of the project will be borne by the SDMC. It will be completed in the next six months,” the official said.

The project has been implemented on the direction of Supreme Court-mandated Environment Pollution (Prevention & Control) Authority.

On a pilot basis, the civic agency will convert 65 lanes at 13 toll plazas to enable e- toll collection.

“Besides, there will be mixed lanes where commercial vehicles can pay toll and environment cess in cash or through the RFID cards. Based on the reviews, we will extend it to other locations,” said Shikha Rai, standing committee chairman, SDMC.

“The system will work faster compared to the manual process of collecting toll tax and help reduce traffic jams,” she said.

The toll points selected for the project include Ghazipur (main and old), Shahdara flyover, Kundli, Rajokri, Kalindi Kunj, Tikri, Kapashera and Aya Nagar.