National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has launched the country’s first multi-lane free-flow (MLFF) tolling system.
Around 41,500 vehicles crossed the MLFF toll location, at the Chorayasi toll plaza on the Surat–Bharuch section of National Highway 48 (NH-48) in Gujarat, on the first day.
NH-48 runs 2,807km (1,744 miles) from Delhi in the north to Chennai on the south-east coast.
The MLFF system uses automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) and FASTag-based electronic toll collection (ETC) to enable automated and contactless tolling
operations.
Part of India’s Ministry of Road Transport & Highways, NHAI manages around 70,000km of highways and is responsible for toll collection on about 45,000 km of them, maintaining 1,200 toll plazas with concessionaires.
NHAI hopes MLFF will “significantly reduce congestion, improve travel time, enhance fuel efficiency and lower vehicular emissions on National Highways”.
ETC via radio frequency identification (RFID) technology, branded as FASTag, was launched in the country in 2015.
If drivers do not have sufficient FASTag balance, or have an invalid or non-functional FASTag,they will be issued with an e-notice for non-payment of tolls, which is required to be paid within 72 hours.
After that, the fine is doubled.
“The introduction of MLFF will help to strengthen toll operations by enhancing transparency and reducing operational costs of setting up toll plazas,” says NHAI in a statement.
“MLFF will also contribute towards the development of a more robust, efficient and cost-effective tolling ecosystem across the National Highway network.”