Toll booth queues could soon be history: Modi Govt plans barrier-free highway payments with FASTag and AI

The Centre has decided to implement barrier-free toll collection on national highways using FASTag, Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) and Artificial Intelligence (AI)-based analytics, while a proposed GPS-based tolling system will undergo further deliberations after expert committees raised concerns over security, privacy, breach risks and operational control.

In a written reply to the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday, Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari said the Apex Committee and the High-Level Empowered Committee, comprising experts from industry and academia, recommended further deliberations on the GPS-based barrier-free tolling system in view of security, privacy, breach and overall operational control considerations.

"In an effort to enhance toll operations and enable seamless movement of vehicles, the Government has decided to implement Multi-Lane Free Flow (MLFF) through Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) with AI analytics and RFID-based Electronic Toll Collection (FASTag)," Gadkari said.

The MLFF system is designed to facilitate barrier-free tolling, allowing vehicles to pass through toll plazas without stopping, slowing down or remaining in a designated lane. User fees will be collected electronically through a combination of FASTag and ANPR technology.

The government has awarded contracts for implementing the system at 17 toll plazas across the country. Of these, five have already gone live. These include Choryasi in Surat, Gujarat, Mundka in Delhi, Gharaunda in Haryana, and Manoharpura and Daulatpura in Rajasthan.

The remaining awarded locations include Shahjahanpur in Rajasthan, Nemili/Sriperumbudur, Chennasamaduram and Paranur in Tamil Nadu, Kasepalli, Amakthadu and Marur in Andhra Pradesh, Chalakwadi and Hiwargaon Pavasa in Maharashtra, Badarpur Faridabad in Haryana, Boraich in Gujarat and Madanpur in Assam.

The Ministry has also invited bids for implementing the technology at an additional 104 toll plazas across the country, indicating a wider rollout of the barrier-free tolling system.

The minister also said the FASTag Annual Pass scheme for non-commercial cars, jeeps and vans, introduced on August 15, 2025, has seen significant adoption. As of June 2026, more than 77 lakh annual passes have been issued, accounting for 63 crore transactions at national highway toll plazas. Annual pass transactions now constitute around 33 per cent of all electronic toll collection transactions by cars, jeeps and vans.

On grievance redressal, the government said users can lodge complaints through the National Highways toll-free helpline 1033, the dedicated email ID for false toll deductions, FASTag issuer bank helplines and the Rajmarg Yatra app.

According to the reply, more than 98 per cent of user fee collection on national highways is now carried out through FASTag under the National Electronic Toll Collection programme.