Multi-Lane Free Flow Tolling System Set to Transform Highway Experience in India

The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), through its subsidiary, Indian Highways Management Company Limited (IHMCL), has finalized an agreement with ICICI Bank. This agreement sets the stage for implementing the first Multi-Lane Free Flow (MLFF) tolling system in India. The system will be initially deployed at the Choryasi Fee Plaza on NH-48 in Gujarat. The signing ceremony, which took place on August 30 at the NHAI Headquarters in Delhi, was attended by NHAI Chairman Santosh Kumar Yadav, along with senior representatives from NHAI, IHMCL, and ICICI Bank. This initiative aims to provide national highway users with a smooth and barrier-free tolling experience. The agreement is a crucial step in implementing MLFF tolling, enabling seamless electronic toll collection via FASTag. Choryasi Fee Plaza will pioneer as India’s first barrier-free toll plaza. In addition, a parallel agreement was inked with ICICI Bank for the implementation of MLFF at the Gharaunda Fee Plaza, situated on NH-44 in Haryana. The NHAI has plans to extend MLFF-based tolling to approximately 25 national highway fee plazas during the 2025-26 fiscal year, and the selection process is currently ongoing. NHAI Chairman, Santosh Kumar Yadav, said the agreement marks a significant advancement in the modernization of tolling in India. He also added that this will facilitate a more efficient, transparent, and user-friendly tolling system, in line with the vision for technological transformation in national highway operations, and pave the way for its adoption across the country.