The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has implemented Tamil Nadu's first Multi-Lane Free Flow (MLFF) tolling system at the Paranur Toll Plaza on the Tambaram–Tindivanam Section of NH-179B. This barrier-less system allows vehicles to pass through toll locations without stopping, leveraging Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) and FASTag-based Electronic Toll Collection technologies.
The MLFF system significantly reduces human intervention in toll collection, saves fuel and time, cuts down congestion, lowers vehicular emissions, and makes toll operations more transparent and cost-effective. The initiative aligns with the Government of India's vision of delivering citizen-centric services through technology to enhance Ease of Living and Ease of Doing Business.
NHAI is implementing MLFF tolling across National Highways in a phased manner, with previous successful rollouts at Chorayasi Toll Plaza on NH-48 in Gujarat; Mundka-Bakkarwala Toll Plaza on Urban Extension Road-II in Delhi-NCR; Shahjahanpur, Daulatpura and Manoharpura Toll Plazas on Delhi–Jaipur section of NH-48 in Rajasthan; and Gharaunda Toll Plaza on NH-44 in Haryana.
For seamless MLFF operation, National Highway users must maintain functional FASTags with sufficient balance to avoid receiving Electronic Notices (E-Notices). The system strengthens the tolling ecosystem by enhancing transparency, reducing operational costs associated with physical toll plazas, and improving overall efficiency in toll operations nationwide.