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India is moving toward a barrier-free tolling model that will replace traditional toll booths within a year. The road transport minister informed Parliament that the new electronic system is already running at 10 plazas and will be expanded nationwide. It uses the NETC platform along with FASTag, automatic number-plate recognition and AI-based monitoring to allow vehicles to pass without stopping. The ministry also highlighted that around 4,500 highway projects worth nearly INR 10 lakh crore are in progress, reflecting a wider effort to modernise national road infrastructure.
The Road Transport And Highways Minister informed Parliament this week that the existing toll booth system will be phased out within the coming year. He stated that a fully electronic, barrier-free toll collection mechanism has already been installed at 10 locations and will gradually be implemented across the national highway network. Under this system, vehicles will not be required to slow down or stop for toll payments. Advertisement
The new model is built on the National Electronic Toll Collection (NETC) platform developed by NPCI. It will combine FASTag with automatic number-plate recognition cameras and AI-based monitoring tools. This integrated framework will support the Multi-Lane Free Flow Electronic Toll Collection system, which is designed to record vehicle movement and deduct toll charges automatically while vehicles move at regular speed.
The Minister also pointed out that requests for proposals for FASTag-plus-ANPR-based tolling have already been issued or finalised for selected plazas. The broader rollout will follow once the performance at these initial sites is assessed. According to him, this shift will help eliminate delays, reduce congestion, and create a more efficient experience for highway users.
He further added that nearly 4,500 highway projects worth around INR 10 lakh crore are currently underway across the country. These projects range from widening existing corridors to constructing new expressways and logistics routes. The new tolling mechanism is expected to complement these developments by improving road operations and helping the network support higher traffic volumes over time.
Source PTI
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