- By Deeksha Gour
- Mon, 21 Apr 2025 09:19 AM (IST)
- Source:JND
Mumbai- Goa Highway: The much-anticipated Mumbai-Goa highway project, officially known as National Highway 66, is scheduled for completion by June 2025. Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari, announced that this new stretch will significantly reduce travel time between Mumbai and Goa to just six hours, down from the current 10 to 12 hours.
This project has faced numerous delays over the years, primarily due to land acquisition issues, legal challenges and inter-departmental coordination. However, Minister Gadkari assured the public that these obstacles have been resolved and construction is now progressing swiftly.
“This highway will greatly enhance connectivity in the Konkan region, promoting tourism and economic growth along the route,” Gadkari stated in a recent press conference.
New Toll Policy
Along with the reduction in travel time, the government plans to implement a new toll policy aimed at streamlining highway travel. Traditional toll booths will be replaced by a satellite-based toll collection system. This innovative system will monitor vehicle movements and automatically deduct toll fees from the owner's bank account based on the distance travelled. The new toll policy is expected to be launched within the next fortnight.
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Under the forthcoming policy, vehicles will no longer stop at toll booths. Instead, toll charges will be automatically deducted as vehicles are tracked via satellite and their number plates scanned.
How Will New Toll Policy Work
The system will utilise two main technologies:
Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) for tracking vehicles.
Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras for vehicle identification.
Charges will be based on the actual distance travelled on toll roads, similar to fare calculations used by ride-sharing services.