Barrier-less Tolling To Transform Highway Travel And Cut Pollution

15 May 2026 CW Team

The framework combines Automatic Number Plate Recognition technology with FASTag based electronic toll collection and deploys artificial intelligence for monitoring and traffic management. Officials estimate that the system will cut waiting time at plazas, improve traffic flow and reduce congestion, generating fuel savings of about 2.5 billion (bn) litres annually and cutting roughly 81,000 tonnes (t) of carbon emissions. The minister observed that operational expenditure on toll collection, which was 15 per cent, is expected to fall to around 3-4 per cent, producing annual savings of about Rs 50-60 billion (bn).

Users will need to maintain sufficient FASTag balance and non payment will be handled through electronic notices that provide a 72 hour window for payment and grievance redressal. Failure to comply within the period will incur a charge at twice the normal rate for the vehicle category and may lead to blacklisting and restrictions on other vehicle related services. The ministry pointed to a recent MLFF launch at the Chorayasi plaza on the Surat–Bharuch section as part of broader rollout plans.

The announcement highlighted efforts to adopt waste to wealth practices by using processed municipal waste and bio bitumen from crop residue in road construction to reduce import dependence and pollution. The ministry said technology driven reforms will strengthen transparency, lower logistics costs and improve the tolling ecosystem across the national highway network. Authorities appealed to citizens and media to support awareness of the changes and ensure a smooth transition.

The Government inaugurated a barrier-less toll plaza at Mundka–Bakkarwala on the Urban Extension Road in the National Capital Region, introducing the Multi-Lane Free Flow tolling system. The minister for road transport and highways led the launch and acknowledged officials and stakeholders involved in the project. The MLFF system is intended to permit uninterrupted vehicle movement through toll points without stopping. The framework combines Automatic Number Plate Recognition technology with FASTag based electronic toll collection and deploys artificial intelligence for monitoring and traffic management. Officials estimate that the system will cut waiting time at plazas, improve traffic flow and reduce congestion, generating fuel savings of about 2.5 billion (bn) litres annually and cutting roughly 81,000 tonnes (t) of carbon emissions. The minister observed that operational expenditure on toll collection, which was 15 per cent, is expected to fall to around 3-4 per cent, producing annual savings of about Rs 50-60 billion (bn). Users will need to maintain sufficient FASTag balance and non payment will be handled through electronic notices that provide a 72 hour window for payment and grievance redressal. Failure to comply within the period will incur a charge at twice the normal rate for the vehicle category and may lead to blacklisting and restrictions on other vehicle related services. The ministry pointed to a recent MLFF launch at the Chorayasi plaza on the Surat–Bharuch section as part of broader rollout plans. The announcement highlighted efforts to adopt waste to wealth practices by using processed municipal waste and bio bitumen from crop residue in road construction to reduce import dependence and pollution. The ministry said technology driven reforms will strengthen transparency, lower logistics costs and improve the tolling ecosystem across the national highway network. Authorities appealed to citizens and media to support awareness of the changes and ensure a smooth transition.

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