Union Highways and Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari stated that the government aims to eliminate stoppages, which would help reduce fuel consumption and the operation costs.
Published: September 11, 2026, 3:44 PM IST
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Gadkari said the operating cost of toll plazas is between 12 per cent and 15 per cent, which is expected to fall to 2 per cent to 4 per cent once the barrier-free tolling model is implemented nationwideFile image
Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari on Friday said India is working towards rolling out a fully digital and barrier-free toll collection system across the country by February-March 2027The system will use the Multi-Lane Free Flow (MLFF) model, he said.
MLFF enables vehicles to pass through toll points without stoppingOverhead gantries detect each vehicle and automatically charge the applicable toll as it moves through at normal speed.
What is the plan?
According to Gadkari, doing away with stoppages at toll plazas will not only save fuel but also reduce the costs involved in operating them“In one year, we want to get all our tolls free on the MLFF modelI directed officials to complete it by December 2026I believe 60 per cent to 70 per cent of the work will be completed by the end of the yearBy February-March, a barrier-free toll plaza system will be implemented across the country,” Gadkari said at the Global Fintech Fest in Mumbai.
Gadkari said the barrier-free tolling system, first launched at the Mundka-Bakkarwala Toll Plaza on Delhi’s Urban Extension Road-II in May, would do away with the need for vehicles to stop at toll plazasHe added that the system would also lower fuel consumption and reduce toll-plaza operation and maintenance costs.
Gadkari said the operating cost of toll plazas is between 12 per cent and 15 per cent, which is expected to fall to 2 per cent to 4 per cent once the barrier-free tolling model is implemented nationwide“This will help save Rs 6,000 crore to Rs 7,000 crore annually.”
According to Gadkari, FASTag has transformed toll collection, reducing waiting times and doing away with the need to pay in cash or carry change at toll plazasHe said the government is now working towards eliminating stoppages altogether“Earlier, the waiting time was 12 minutes, which used to stretch to 30 minutes at some places,” he said.
Gadkari said the wider adoption of FASTag and the shift towards digital tolling generated an estimated benefit of Rs 20,000 crore to Rs 25,000 crore annually for the government“If you compare the system before and after FASTag, the benefit to our department alone comes to around Rs 20,000 crore to Rs 25,000 crore per year.”
