The government of India has launched the country’s first Multi-Lane Free Flow (MLFF) tolling system on the Urban Extension Road-II (UER-II) corridor in the National Capital Region, marking a significant advancement in the nation’s highway infrastructure modernisation programme.

The system was inaugurated by Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari at the Mundka-Bakkarwala toll plaza in Delhi. The newly deployed MLFF tolling mechanism eliminates the need for physical toll barriers, enabling vehicles to pass through toll plazas without stopping. The system operates through the integration of FASTag technology and Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR), allowing toll charges to be collected electronically while vehicles remain in motion.

According to the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, the initiative is expected to substantially reduce traffic congestion, minimise travel time, lower fuel consumption, and decrease vehicular emissions caused by long queues at conventional toll plazas. Officials described the rollout as a major milestone in India’s transition towards digitally enabled, world-class national highway infrastructure.

The government has indicated that the MLFF system forms part of a broader strategy to improve highway efficiency through intelligent transport technologies and automated toll collection systems. The launch on UER-II follows ongoing efforts by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) to expand barrier-less tolling infrastructure across key national highway corridors. Authorities stated that similar systems are expected to be implemented at additional toll plazas in phases over the coming years.

The government also noted that the use of ANPR technology could support future integration with traffic monitoring and enforcement systems, further strengthening road safety and compliance mechanisms on India’s expanding highway network.