100 toll plazas to be tracked with GIS-based software: NHAI

In a move aimed at ensuring seamless movement of traffic across National Highways (NH), the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) said on Monday that around 100 toll plazas in the country will be tracked with GIS-based software. The toll plazas have been identified based on congestion feedback received through the 1033 National Highway Helpline, said the NHAI, a government organisation responsible for the development, maintenance, and management of national highways across the country. 

The live monitoring and tracking system will provide congestion alerts and lane distribution recommendations when the queue of vehicles at a toll plaza is more than the prescribed limit, the highways authority said. 

The GIS-based software, which will enable the real time monitoring of the waiting time at the plazas, is developed by NHAI-promoted Indian Highways Management Company Ltd (IHMCL).

For now, NHAI has identified around 100 toll plazas for live monitoring on the web-based software and the monitoring service will be extended to more toll plazas in a phased manner, according to NHAI. 

Apart from providing the name and location of the toll plaza, the software will share details related to the live status of queue length in meters, total waiting time and vehicle speed at toll plaza, it said.

The software will also provide congestion alerts and lane distribution recommendations if the queue of vehicles at a toll plaza exceeds the prescribed limit.

Toll plazas have been mapped in web-based software to the respective NHAI field offices across the country.

The software will help NHAI officials gain insights by providing comparative traffic condition analyses for traffic queues and congestion on an hourly, daily, weekly, and monthly basis. 

It will also provide updates related to current weather conditions and information about local festivals, enabling NHAI officials to take pre-emptive measures to manage the traffic load and decongest the toll plazas.

The live monitoring and tracking system at the toll plazas will help in ensuring the free flow of traffic and a hassle-free tolling experience for the National Highway users at the fee plazas.