Motorists to pay at toll gates thru smart cards

Bhubaneswar: In a bid to minimise the rush at toll gates, the Centre has decided to issue smart cards for motorists across the country.

Addressing mediapersons after the inauguration of technical session of 75th Indian Roads Congress, director-general of Road Transport S.N. Das said like Delhi-Gurgaon Expressway, the smart card system will be introduced in the State on Samabalpur-Rourkela road initially to enable commuters to pay automatically through their smart cards without waiting in lines at toll plazas.

Referring to alternatives to traditional materials used in road construction, Das said use of cement instead of bitumen in new road projects is now under active consideration as the government is planning to replace traditional roads with concrete ones.

Use of cement in road projects would be cost-effective as such roads would last longer and reduce expenditure on the maintenance front also, he added.

The technical session of the five-day long conclave was inaugurated by Rural Development minister Badri Narayan Patra last evening while the plenary session is scheduled to be formally inaugurated by chief minister Naveen Patnaik today.