No congestion, no waiting, India launches first barrier-less tolling system on NH-48 in Gujarat
New Delhi, May 1
Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari on Friday announced the launch of the country's first Multi-Lane Free Flow barrier-less tolling system at the Chorayasi Toll Plaza on the Surat-Bharuch section of National Highway-48 in Gujarat.
Sharing the update on X, the minister said, "This state-of-the-art solution enables seamless toll collection without halting vehicles, leveraging advanced technologies such as Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) and FASTag."
He described the rollout as a step towards digitising the tolling ecosystem and modernising national highway infrastructure. "The introduction of MLFF marks a significant step towards digitising the tolling ecosystem and modernising National Highway infrastructure to global standards. This transformative system will reduce travel time, ease congestion, improve fuel efficiency, lower vehicular emissions, and minimise human intervention in toll operations," the minister noted.
The minister noted, "Barrier-less tolling will enhance 'Ease of Living' for citizens while strengthening 'Ease of Doing Business' by enabling faster and more efficient movement of goods and logistics," making the process more efficient and transparent.
The minister said the introduction of MLFF aligns with the government's focus on building technology-driven and commuter-friendly infrastructure under the leadership of Narendra Modi.
The minister added that the system represents a shift towards global standards in highway management, with a focus on efficiency, transparency and improved user experience.
The Chorayasi toll plaza pilot is expected to serve as a model for wider implementation of barrier-less tolling systems across the national highway network in the future.
— ANI
Reader Comments
This sounds promising, but I hope they ensure the system works flawlessly. What if the ANPR or FASTag fails? Will there be penalties? Also, what about data privacy? My number plate information being tracked everywhere makes me a bit uneasy. Let's see how it performs on a larger scale.
As someone who drives from Mumbai to Surat frequently, this is excellent news! The congestion at toll plazas is the worst part of the journey. Reduced emissions and fuel savings are big pluses too. Glad to see India adopting global standards. 👏
Good initiative, but I'm skeptical about the implementation. Our highways still have potholes and missing signboards in many places. Before rolling out fancy tech, fix the basics first. Also, what about those without FASTag or proper number plates? Let's not rush into this without a backup plan.
This is genuinely impressive! I've seen similar systems in Singapore and they work brilliantly. Reducing human intervention also reduces corruption at toll booths. If we can replicate this across the country, it'll be a massive upgrade for India's infrastructure. Well done, ministry! 🇮🇳
Another step towards Digital India! I just hope the toll rates don't increase under this new system. And what about the workers at toll plazas? They'll lose their jobs. The govt should have a rehabilitation plan for them. Tech is good, but people matter too.
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