Barrier-free tolling runs into a Chinese security bump

Commuters looking to zoom past toll plazas on India's 1,46,560 km highway network will have to wait longer. Security concerns about surveillance cameras imported from countries like China have delayed the rollout of the barrier-free tolling system.The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) seeks to install the multi-lane free-flow (MLFF) system at around 1,150 toll plazas nationwide to allow vehicles to pass through at speeds of 100 km/h or more.

Overhead gantries scan cars for toll tax, eliminating the need for physical barriers and reducing congestion and fuel consumption.The system, to be rolled out across 21 plazas initially, relies on high-speed automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) cameras, which are currently imported. However, the lack of comprehensive vendor vetting increases the risk of data breaches and compromises sensitive vehicle and ownership data.Authorities are now evaluating a phased MLFF implementation, two officials aware of the development said–both didn’t want to be identified as details are not public yet.Low-speed cameras that capture vehicle registration plates at up to 30-40 km per hour, sourced from vendors on an approved list, would be deployed initially at toll plazas, the first official quoted earlier said.

Simultaneously, the government would work to identify credible suppliers and push for indigenisation of high-speed ANPR technology, the official said.Barrier-less tolling eases road congestion and reduces fuel consumption, lowering logistics and transportation costs. To be sure, India’s logistics costs have dropped sharply to 7.97% of GDP for FY24, significantly lower than the previously estimated 13–14% and competitive with global averages (8-10%), according to a 2025