No Stopping, No Waiting: Delhi Drives Into India's Barrier-Less Toll Future

The Mundka-Bakkarwala MLFF system is India's second barrier-less toll plaza, following the first at Choryasi on the Surat-Bharuch NH-48 stretch in Gujarat commissioned on May 1. Gadkari noted that if deployed nationwide, barrier-less tolling could save the government over Rs 6,000 crore annually in toll plaza operating costs while dramatically improving highway experience.

How The System Works

Speed, Cameras And Seamless Payment

AI-enabled Automatic Number Plate Recognition cameras read vehicle registration details at speeds up to 100 km/h, match them to FASTag accounts and deduct toll charges automatically without any human intervention. Traditional barriers, toll operators and queues are entirely eliminated, enabling truly continuous traffic flow at highway speeds.

What If Your FASTag Is Short

Handling Exceptions And Defaulters

Vehicles with insufficient FASTag balance, invalid tags or technical issues will receive an Electronic Notice within the stipulated period, requiring payment settlement within 72 hours. This replaces physical enforcement with a digital accountability system, making the process smoother while retaining revenue collection integrity.

Rollout Ahead For India

Phase-Wise National Expansion

Under Phase 1, 17 toll plazas across nine states including Delhi, Gujarat, Haryana, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Maharashtra and Assam are set to go live by September 2026. A further 108 plazas under Phase 2 are planned to be completed by March 2027, putting India on course for one of the largest barrier-less tolling networks in Asia.

Smart Highway Takeaways

• Delhi's first barrier-less toll plaza activated at Mundka-Bakkarwala on UER-II
• Uses MLFF technology combining ANPR cameras and FASTag for fully automated collection
• Vehicles can pass through at 80 to 100 km/h with zero waiting time
• Nationwide rollout targets 17 plazas in 9 states by September 2026, 108 more by March 2027
• Full national rollout could save over Rs 6,000 crore annually in operating costs

Sources: Moneycontrol, NDTV, Times Of India, Times Now, Deccan Herald, ThePrint, Republic World, PTI