The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has introduced Tamil Nadu’s first Multi-Lane Free Flow (MLFF) tolling system at Paranur Toll Plaza on the Tambaram-Tindivanam section of NH 179B. The barrier-free arrangement allows vehicles to pass through the tolling point without stopping at conventional booths.

The MLFF system is intended to make toll collection faster and more seamless by removing the need for vehicles to halt for payment. It uses Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) to identify vehicles and FASTag-based Electronic Toll Collection to collect the applicable toll electronically.

NHAI said the system would support smoother travel on National Highways and strengthen the toll collection framework. It advised highway users to maintain a functional FASTag with sufficient balance, as this would help them avoid receiving an Electronic Notice, or E-Notice, during the tolling process.

The authority said barrier-free tolling could reduce congestion at toll locations, improve travel times and limit human intervention in toll collection. It could also support better fuel efficiency, lower vehicular emissions and improved operational efficiency by reducing the need for physical toll plaza infrastructure.

NHAI is introducing MLFF systems at highway locations across India in a phased manner. Existing installations include Chorayasi Toll Plaza on the Surat-Bharuch section of NH 48 in Gujarat and Mundka-Bakkarwala Toll Plaza on Urban Extension Road-II in Delhi-NCR. Other installations are located at Shahjahanpur, Daulatpura and Manoharpura on the Delhi-Jaipur section of NH 48 in Rajasthan, and at Gharaunda on the Panipat-Jalandhar section of NH 44 in Haryana. The Paranur installation expands the technology’s use on a major highway corridor in Tamil Nadu.