350 national highways to have e-toll collection systems by Dec-end: Gadkari.

Electronic toll collection (ETC) systems will be installed in at least one lane of 350 toll plazas across national highways, advancing the earlier target date by three months, Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari has said.

Given the average waiting time of 10 minutes at toll plazas, there is scope to save Rs. 7,000 crore through fuel savings, Gadkari said, while inaugurating electronic tolling system on the Delhi-Mumbai corridor.

Citing a Transport Corporation of India-IIM Kolkata study that said Rs. 27,000 crore was lost on account of various delays at checkposts, the Minister said electronic toll collection could save Rs. 34,000 crore.

However, even with these estimates, the benefits would accrue only if all vehicles adopt the electronic toll collection mechanism and all toll plazas install the systems.

The electronic clearing house for the ETC system is being facilitated by ICICI Bank and Axis Bank.

HBL