India to see barrier-free tolling across country by March 2027

With the aim to ensure “zero waiting time” at toll crossings, the government expects to implement Multi-Lane Free Flow (MLFF), a barrier-free electronic toll collection system, across all states and Union Territories by March next year. The new system is expected to improve toll revenue and fetch an additional Rs 10,000 crore annually. Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari said the barrier-free toll collection system would also help reduce operational and maintenance costs.

The minister was speaking at the Global Fintech Fest 2026 in Mumbai on “India’s Intelligent Highway: Tolling and the Agentic Future of Mobility Finance”.

Gadkari said, “Zero stoppage is our target. We are moving towards a fully digital and barrier-free toll collection system for which we are using Fastag and ANPR (Automatic Number Plate Recognition) cameras. In one year, we want all toll plazas to be on the MLFF system. By December, 60-70 percent MLFF will be operational. Within the next two-three months, a barrier-free toll system will be there at all toll plazas. It will reduce waiting to cross the toll point to less than 10 seconds. It will further reduce operational and maintenance cost, which is 12-15 percent at present. It is likely to come down to two-four percent and will benefit with Rs 6-7,000 crore.”

At the Fest, Gadkari also launched ‘OneTag’, a NETC FASTag portability solution that enables users to switch their issuing bank while retaining the same FASTag. ‘OneTag’ is a joint initiative of Indian Highways Management Company Limited (IHMCL), a company promoted by the NHAI, and the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI).