Gadkari inaugurates barrier-less tolling system; to reduce annual CO2 emissions by 81,000 tonnes
NHAI is planning to roll out more MLFF tolling at national highway fee plazas covering 17 fee plazas across 9 states
Union Minister Nitin Gadkari on Monday inaugurated Multi-Lane Free Flow (MLFF) barrier-less tolling system at the Mundka-Bakkarwala Toll Plaza on Urban Extension Road-II (UER-II) in the Delhi-NCR region.
The MLFF system introduces a seamless, contactless tolling framework by integrating automatic number plate recognition with FASTag-based electronic toll collection, enabling automated user fee payment with minimal human intervention.
"This initiative marks a significant milestone in the advancement of digital National Highway infrastructure. It is expected to enhance travel efficiency, reduce congestion, improve fuel efficiency and lower vehicular emissions at toll points," the transport ministry said.
The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) is planning to roll out more MLFF tolling at national highway fee plazas covering 17 fee plazas across nine states. They all aim to go live by September 2026.
Gadkari said the MLFF system would eventually be integrated with broader traffic enforcement technologies. “This system will not only collect toll automatically but will also help issue challans for violations such as not wearing seat belts, talking on mobile phones while driving and other traffic offences,” he said.
Currently, 17 toll plazas are active under the new system, while bids for implementation at 107 locations are live, NHAI chairman Santosh Kumar Yadav told the media. India’s first fully operational MLFF toll plaza was launched earlier this month at the Bharuch toll plaza in Gujarat.
Gadkari also said the initiative will save fuel worth Rs 285 crore and reduce CO2 emissions by 81,000 tonnes every year.
He said the MLFF system uses FASTag, Automatic Number Plate Recognition technology and artificial intelligence-based cameras to enable seamless toll collection without stopping vehicles. He said motorists will be able to pass through toll corridors at speeds of up to 100 kilometres per hour and the toll payments will be deducted automatically.
The minister added that operational costs in toll collection, which earlier stood at nearly 15 per cent, will now come down to about 3 to 4 per cent, leading to annual savings of around Rs 6,000-Rs 7,000 crore.
