The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has rolled out a toll collection system that will allow motorists travelling between Tambaram and Tindivanam in Tamil Nadu to proceed without disembarking to pay the toll.
At Paranur the new system came into service from 1st October, and implements Multi-Lane Free Flow (MLFF) Technology. This is the first automated toll plaza to change to a barrier-free mode of fee collection in Tamil Nadu, situated near Chengalpattu on NH45.
The toll plaza will be built on the 46.5-km stretch between Tambaram and Tindivanam. The vehicle does not have to halt at a tower or even traffic into a booth area, like a toll process. No vehicle is required to stop at a tower or move into a toll lane, as in a conventional toll station.
This system has a mix of FASTag, linked radio-frequency identification (RFID) technology and the Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras. Behind the wheel camera will snap the registration number of the vehicle, while overhead equipment will scan the FASTag while the vehicle is en route to the tolling center. The collected information is then used to determine a vehicle identity and to process a toll for that vehicle.
Nhai has explained the barrier free system aimed at halving queues and delays at toll plazas. It is also expected to facilitate flow of traffic, lessen fuel usage and minimize vehicle emission as vehicles won’t idle while paying tolls.
The system is designed in such a way that it minimizes human interaction and makes transactions at toll booths smoother and easier. The riders must make sure their FASTag is valid, active and has enough balance, though.
If the motorists have a deficit in the FASTag account or the tag is invalid or not working the drivers would get an electronic notice, NHAI said.
The expansion of NHAI’s barrier-free tolling programme in the region of NH-25 (Mahindra Road) will be implemented as part of its overall initiative on toll barrier-free operations for the national highway network. State-sponsored toll plazes have already been launched in Gujarat, Delhi, Haryana, and Rajasthan; and projects have been given in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and other states as well.