New Delhi: The 34 tolling plazas run by National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), and all the new ones coming up, would soon be connected though a wide area network (wan) to help NHAI track toll collections and stop leakages NHAI has asked CMC Ltd to develop a sofware for this project. There are two versions of software to serve open and closed tolling.The Ahmedabad-Vadodara expressway is planning to upgrade its closed tolling system to enable bar-coded ticketing thermal printing and laser-enabled tracking of vehicles

NHAI source told ET that the Chennai bypass is already using the solution meant for open tolling systems, which collect toll at one point. Within six months, the software would be deployed at all tolling plazas. Thus, NHAI would have access to information on collections made across the country.

Vaibhav Mittal, project director, Ahmedabad-Vadodara expressway, said, " We are collecting Rs 4.5-5 lakh per day form the four toll plazas on the express." According to him, the new system for tolling would charge users at the end of their journey. At present, vehicle owners may buy a ticket up to Vadodara, but if they descided to go to Anand, the extra money is not refunded. The expressway has reduced the travel distance by 17 km. The 93-km stretch can be covered in an hour.