Booth-less toll fee collection at Tamil Nadu’s Paranur: how does the multi-lane free flow system work?

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Image used for representation | Photo Credit: B. Velankanni Raj

The Paranur toll plaza on the Chennai-Tiruchi National Highway, on September 30, 2026, became Tamil Nadu’s first booth-less facility to collect toll fee from road users through the multi-lane free flow (MLFF) system.

MLFF, an advanced contactless and barrierless tolling system, eliminates the need for vehicles to stop at toll plazas by using advanced technologies based on FASTag, radio-frequency identification (RFID) technology, and ANPR technology for seamless electronic toll collection.

The primary factor is uninterrupted traffic flow. Vehicles no longer need to stop or slow down at toll plazas, thus leading to smoother traffic movement and reduced congestion.

Second, operational efficiency and cost savings. Reduced reliance on toll booth infrastructure and manpower results in lower operating costs.

And finally, environmental benefits. Smoother traffic flow reduces vehicular idling, cutting down emissions and contributing to cleaner air near tolling points.

While conventional fee plazas rely on physical booths, gates, and lane infrastructure, under the MLFF system, high-performance RFID readers detect the FASTag affixed on vehicles at high speeds. At the same time, ANPR cameras capture license plate data while radar and LiDAR systems accurately detect and classify vehicles.

MLFF equipment creates a toll transaction by reading the FASTag as well as the vehicle number plate and deducts the fee from the FASTag. It also captures evidence of vehicles where payment fails. The MLFF system works across all weather and lighting conditions, round the clock.

MLFF thus delivers a fast, transparent, and high-integrity revenue process replacing the traditional toll collection system that cause delays and frustration.

A road user should maintain an active FASTag with sufficient balance, ensuring clearly visible HSRP license plates.

Vehicles without the tags or with insufficient balance will be issued challans. If a vehicle fails to pay the applicable user fee while crossing an MLFF plaza, an electronic notice or e-notice shall be issued for recovery of the unpaid fee. As per Rule 14 of the National Highway Fee Determination of Rates and Collection Rules 2008, e-notice will be sent via SMS to the registered mobile number of the vehicle owner, as per Vaahan database, and also to the mobile number linked to the FASTag of the vehicle, as per issuer bank’s records.

e-notice amount shall be twice the applicable user fee. However, if payment is made within 72 hours of issuance, a 50% discount shall apply. After 72 hours, the road user shall be required to pay the full e-notice amount.

If the road user takes no action within the stipulated time period, related Vaahan services such as NOC, Transfer of Ownership, National Permit, and Fitness Certification will be restricted as per CMVR 1989. Until all e-notices are cleared, the FASTag will remain suspended and will be non-functional at all toll plazas, including State fee plazas and parking facilities across India.

Any aggrieved road user may raise a grievance along with supporting evidence through the NIC portal within 72 hours of issuance of e-notice, following which the grievance is forwarded to the fee plaza or bank for review and necessary action.

The fee plaza will have five days to review the grievance and either accept or reject it. If the fee plaza takes no action within the stipulated time, the claim of the fee plaza to the unpaid user fee shall cease and the grievance will be automatically deemed accepted in favor of road user.

If the grievance is accepted, the e-notice will be revoked, but if rejected, the road user shall have to pay the e-notice amount.

NHAI’s Project Implementation Unit (PIU) will ensure there is proper illumination at the MLFF equipment location, which will enhance the efficiency of the equipment and associated toll revenue with it. Other road safety aspects like closure of medians, illumination at the existing toll plaza, road marking, and signages, will be thoroughly examined.

As the MLFF tolling involves high-speed movement of the vehicles near the MLFF toll plazas as in the case of other sections of the highway, NHAI will ensure the MLFF toll plaza, gantry location, etc., are thoroughly audited by the road safety auditor of the PIU.

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