Nitin Gadkari on Wednesday took charge for the third time as India’s roads and highways minister. Ajay Tamta and Harsh Malhotra also took charge as Ministers of State.

Gadkari conveyed gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for reassigning him this role in Modi 3.0 and remarked that India will be equipped with world-class, modern infrastructure at an accelerated pace under Modi’s visionary leadership, Ministry of Road Transport & Highways (MoRTH) said in a statement.

MoRTH Secretary Anurag Jain and other senior officials welcomed Gadkari, Tamta and Malhotra at the transport bhawan premises, it added.

TCI Group Managing Director Vineet Agarwal told businessline, “Minister Gadkari’s vision has transformed infrastructure, making it more innovative, efficient, and sustainable. He has streamlined processes, got the private sector involved and implemented pathbreaking policy initiatives related to biofuel blending, EVs and green hydrogen technologies. All these forward-looking policies have not only accelerated infrastructure development but also boosted economic growth nationwide.”

Satellite-based toll collection

Among the key initiatives under Gadkari’s leadership is the adoption of the GNSS-based electronic toll collection in India, which aims to provide seamless and barrier-free tolling experience on National Highways (NHs).

The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) invited global bids for implementing the Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS)-based electronic toll collection.

Implementation of GNSS-based electronic toll collection in India will facilitate smooth movement of vehicles along the NHs and is envisaged to provide many benefits to highway users, such as barrier-less free-flow tolling leading to a hassle-free riding experience and distance-based tolling, where users will pay only for the stretch they have travelled.

Related Topics