ISLAMABAD, Aug 26 National Highway Authority (NHA) plans to extend automatic electronic toll collection system (e-toll system), introduced last year on selected toll plazas of Motorways, to all toll plazas, an official of National Highway Authority (NHA) told APP on Wednesday.

The NHA launched the e-toll system in collaboration with National Database Registration Authority (Nadra) to facilitate motorists on the motorways. In the first phase, e-toll system had been made available for motorists using Peshawar, Islamabad and Lahore toll plazas for both entry and exit. In second phase the e-toll collection facility had been extended to toll plazas at Kala Shah Kaku, Mardan and Burhan.

In near future the NHA would extend the system to all toll plazas located on Peshawar-Islamabad Motorway (M-1), Islamabad-Lahore Motorway (M-2) and Pindi Bhattian-Faisalabad Motorway (M-3).

Electronic tags are now available free of cost from Peshawar, Islamabad and Lahore Toll Plazas. Those who want to purchase the chip are required to submit full particulars about their person, details of bank account and other information.

The NHA staff posted at the plazas for selling the tag registers all such details in their system and the motorists are issued the chips which they have to install on the top or front of their vehicles.

The computerized system of the NHA automatically reads the chip when they pass through the toll plazas, letting them pass by lifting the bar and giving an automatic green signal.

The new system deducts the toll amount electronically from the bank accounts of the motorists.

The e-toll system also has a fast tracking system installed which detects wrong information givers.

As such, in case there is no amount in the account of the person concerned the NHA electronic system recognizes it and give stop signal by flashing the red light and not lifting the bar.

The newly-introduced e-toll system provides motorists and travellers a number of facilities.

It also saves time, spare motorists and transporters from standing in long queues for obtaining entry cards and payment of toll and also enable vehicles pass through toll plazas without stopping at the time of entry and exit on the motorways. —APP