By Our Correspondent
NEW DELHI/BHUBANESWAR: Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari in a written reply in the Lok Sabha on Thursday said that the Government has declared all lanes of fee plazas on National Highways as “FASTag lane of the fee plaza” for collection of user fee through digital payment via FASTag w.e.f. midnight of 15th/16th February 2021.
At present, all fee plazas on National Highways are fully equipped with FASTag system. After declaration of all lanes as FASTag Lanes, the overall FASTag penetration has reached approximately 96%, from 80% on 14th February, 2021. As on 14th July, 2021, more than 3.54 crore FASTags have been issued.Improvement in process/technology for collection of user fee is a continuous process. Efforts are also made towards adoption of new technology & process.Mandatory provision of an airbag for the driver and co-driver has been made under the Central Motor Vehicle Rules, 1989.
Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) on October, 2017 had approved Phase-I of Bharatmala covering 24,800 km of roads under Bharatmala Pariyojana in addition to 10,000 km of residual NHDP, at an financial outlay of Rs. 5,35,000 Crores. Apart from above highways projects, CCEA also mandated MoRT&H to develop 35 Multi Model Logistics Parks (MMLP) across the country.
35 MMLPs being implemented by MoRTH are to be developed under Public Private Partnership (PPP) on Design, Build, Finance, Operate and Transfer (DBFOT) mode. The bidding documents (The Model Concession Agreement and Request for Proposal) for these 35 MMLPs is under finalization. Based on outcome of DPR/Feasibility Studies and approved bidding document, the tender will be invited from companies.
