India’s First Multi-Lane Free Flow Tolling System to Debut in Gujarat

The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) is getting ready for the very first multi-lane free flow (MLFF) tolling system in the country, jointly implemented with ICICI Bank, and the civil works will be at Choryasi Fee Plaza on NH-48 in Gujarat. The initiative, which is aimed at transforming the toll collection practices on Indian highways, sets a precedent for travel within free flow.

The undertaking will be implemented by the Indian Highways Management Company Limited (IHMCL), a subsidiary initiated by NHAI. Besides Gujarat, similar arrangements were made for Gharaunda Fee Plaza on NH-44 in Haryana. In addition, NHAI has announced that this current financial year will witness deploying the MLFF system at 25 toll plazas nationwide.

A whole new paradigm in tolling
With the MLFF system, vehicles will no longer stop at toll plazas; they will be subjected to payment detection using a combination of ANPR cameras and RFID readers by way of being linked to FASTag and vehicle registration databases.

NHAI Chairman Santosh Kumar Yadav said, “It is to create a more efficient, transparent, and user-friendly tolling ecosystem.” He added that the system will drastically reduce congestion at toll plazas as well as improve travel time, and help cut down vehicle emissions-critical goals as India pushes forward in developing greener and more sustainable transport solutions.

Boost in Efficiency and Revenues
Besides the many improvements in commuting, MLFF would also collect tolls more effectively and considerably limit leakage of revenues. This technology would enable up-to-date, real-time monitoring and better traffic management concerning the highway network.

In the past years, FASTag has gained widespread usage, while almost all national highways in India have switched to digital toll collection. The arrival of MLFF is the next step in making Indian highways meet international standards regarding the infrastructure and management of road traffic.

The first such projects going live in Gujarat and Haryana will determine the success of MLFF in expanding nationwide. If it is implemented effectively, highway travel could soon be faster, smoother, and much more eco-friendly.