

Mint Explainer | India to go barrier-free on highways. Inside the MLFF tolling plan
India is preparing for one of the biggest overhauls of its highway tolling architecture since the rollout of FASTag. Instead of the previously considered Global Navigation Satellite System-based tolling model, the ministry of road transport and highways and the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) now plan to implement the Multi-Lane Free-Flow electronic toll collection system across the country’s 146,560-km national highway network.
Barriers at toll plazas will be replaced with overhead gantries equipped with advanced cameras and RFID readers.While the technology promises seamless travel at highway speeds, security concerns over imported high-speed cameras and the need for vendor certification have added complexity to the rollout. Mint explains what MLFF means and what lies ahead.The Multi-Lane Free-Flow (MLFF) electronic toll collection system facilitates barrier-less tolling using technologies that allow vehicles to pass toll plazas at full highway speeds—100 kmph or more—without stopping.Instead of booths and boom barriers, overhead gantries will be installed at toll points.
These are fitted with high-speed Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras and high-performance RFID readers linked to FASTag accounts. The system reads the vehicle’s number plate and FASTag simultaneously, deducting toll electronically.In new toll plazas, barriers will not be installed.
At existing plazas with booth-style designs, the barriers will be dismantled and gantries erected. Work to convert a plaza into a barrier-free configuration is expected to take at least six months.The idea is to eliminate queuing, cut fuel wastage and reduce emissions while improving traffic throughput.NHAI has invited requests for bids for 16 toll
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