Centre defers satellite-based toll over ‘privacy considerations’, says more deliberation needed

The Union government has deferred the launch of its satellite-based toll tax collection system because of “security and privacy considerations”, Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari said on Wednesday.

“The apex committee and high-level empowered committee consisting of experts from industry and academia, in view of security and privacy considerations, breach and overall operational control, have recommended further deliberations for satellite based tolling,” Gadkari told the Rajya Sabha.

In consultation with industry experts, it was decided that the use of FASTag, the barrier-free automatic toll plaza payment system, will continue for now, the Union minister added.

Introduced in 2016, FASTag is an electronic toll collection system, which is operated by the National Highway Authority of India. It uses Radio Frequency Identification technology for making payments directly from the prepaid or savings accounts linked to it or the toll owner.

The proposed Global Navigation Satellite System-based collection system will instead use satellites and units installed on board vehicles to calculate the toll based on the distance travelled, The Indian Express reported.

Gadkari said that India will need additional satellite systems and “appropriate receivers” to accurately determine the position of vehicles before the new system is introduced.

Earlier, government officials had informed a parliamentary panel that India would require its own fully operational satellite navigation system to safeguard citizens’ privacy before implementing the toll system,...

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