India's 1st barrier-less toll booth opens: How will it speed up ride, Pg13

Key Highlights:

• India's first Multi-Lane Free Flow (MLFF) barrier-less tolling system started on the Surat-Bharuch section of NH-48 in Gujarat by NHAI.
• The MLFF system uses RFID readers and ANPR cameras to read FASTag and Vehicle Registration Number (VRN), eliminating the need for vehicles to stop.
• New rules mandate double toll charges for unpaid fees, reduced to the original fee if paid within 72 hours.
• The government plans to implement MLFF at over 200 toll plazas annually, prioritizing approximately 800 public funded toll plazas.

Detailed Insights:

• The electronic toll collection (ETC) infrastructure in India began in 2014, and the MLFF system marks a significant advancement by removing boom barriers.
• High Security Registration Plates (HSRP) were mandated to ensure ANPR cameras can accurately read number plates under the MLFF system.
• The 'One Vehicle, One FASTag' initiative prevents the use of a single FASTag for multiple vehicles, enhancing toll collection accuracy.
• New rules allow integrating the National Electronic Toll Collection system with the National Vehicle Registry for enforcement and unpaid fee recovery.
• NHAI directed banks to validate VRNs linked to FASTags and blacklist those with incorrect information to prevent fee evasion in the MLFF system.
• The implementation of MLFF aims to reduce travel time, decongest highways, improve fuel efficiency, and lower vehicular emissions.
• IHMCL has awarded contracts for MLFF implementation at 18 toll plazas, with plans to expand to over 200 toll plazas each year.

Key Concepts Involved:

• FASTag: An electronic toll collection system using RFID technology for automated payments at toll plazas.
• RFID (Radio Frequency Identification): Technology using radio waves to automatically identify and track tags attached to objects.
• ANPR (Automatic Number Plate Recognition): A surveillance technology that uses optical character recognition to read vehicle registration plates.