India's first barrier-less tolling system goes official in Gujarat
What's the story
India has introduced its first-ever Multi-Lane Free Flow (MLFF) barrier-less tolling system on a stretch of National Highway-48 in Gujarat. The initiative was launched by Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari at the Chorayasi Toll Plaza on the Surat-Bharuch route. The MLFF system employs technologies such as Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) and FASTag to automatically identify vehicles and deduct toll charges, without any need for stopping at plazas.
Travel efficiency
Benefits of MLFF system
The introduction of the MLFF system is a major step toward digitizing India's highway infrastructure and tolling systems. By eliminating physical barriers, this new tolling method is expected to ease congestion at toll plazas, lower travel time, and improve traffic flow on one of the busiest highway corridors in India. The government says this could also lead to better fuel efficiency and lower vehicular emissions by reducing idling time at toll points.
Operational streamlining
Transition to technology-driven tolling
The MLFF system is also expected to improve operational efficiency by reducing dependence on manual toll collection. This will not only streamline operations but also reduce human intervention in toll operations. The government says this move is part of a larger effort to modernize national highways and adopt technology-driven solutions for transport infrastructure.
Partnership
Banking partner for MLFF system
ICICI Bank has partnered with the MLFF tolling system as a banking partner at the Chorayasi Fee Plaza. The bank will support the backend payment infrastructure that permits vehicles to pass through at highway speeds without stopping or barriers. The government has said similar systems could be rolled out in other locations over time, depending on how well this pilot deployment performs.