The government will implement electronic tolling in 360 toll plazas on national highways across the country by the end of March this year, which will provide a hassle-free experience to highway users. While highlighting that logistics and infrastructure will play a major role in the success of Make in India campaign, Union minister for roads and highways, Nitin Gadkari, on Tuesday also listed out policies for the development of logistics hubs along 350 ring roads and development of 2,000 ports along the 14,000 km coastline.

“Between Mumbai and Delhi, there are 18 toll plazas with the average time spend at each toll booths being 10 minutes. The e-tolling will enable highway users to travel without stopping at these toll plazas,” the minister said.

The ministry of road transport and highways has formed a consortium of two banks and a government undertaking for the purpose of e-toll collection. On the need for developing logistics hub, Mr Gadkari said the cost of logistics in India is very high when compared to some of the other developing and developed countries. It is as high as 18 per cent for India as against 8 per cent in China and 8-10 per cent in Europe. “The objective of the development of the logistic hub is to curtail logistics cost. The proposed logistic hubs will house godowns, storages, pre-cooling centres, cold storages and residential premises. They will be spread over 2,000 - 3,000 acres of land along 350 ring roads,” he said. The government also has plans to develop the coastal shipping in India. “We will develop 2,000 ports in five years. Tenders will be issued by end of 2016 for Wadhavan (Maharashtra), Colacher (TN) and Sagar (WB),” he said.