NHAI Launches India's First Multi-Lane Free Flow (MLFF) Tolling System in Gujarat

📌 Summary:

• NHAI launched India's first Multi-Lane Free Flow (MLFF) tolling system at Chorayasi Toll Plaza on the Surat–Bharuch section of NH-48 in Gujarat

• ~41,500 vehicles crossed the MLFF toll location on Day 1 of implementation

• MLFF introduces barrier-less tolling with minimal human intervention — vehicles pass at highway speed without stopping, ensuring seamless traffic flow

• Technology: Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) + FASTag-based electronic toll collection for automatic deduction — no toll booth barriers needed

• Key benefits: eliminates fuel wastage, reduces pollution and idling time at toll plazas; improves highway throughput; reduces operating costs

• This is a significant upgrade over FASTag lanes (which still require vehicles to slow down considerably); MLFF enables full-speed toll collection

• Part of India's National Highways modernisation under National Infrastructure Pipeline and PM GatiShakti framework

🎯 UPSC Relevance: GS3 — Economy (Infrastructure, road transport modernisation); GS3 — Sci & Tech (ANPR, ETC technology application)

📝 Prelims Facts:

• First MLFF site: Chorayasi Toll Plaza, NH-48, Surat–Bharuch, Gujarat

• Technology: ANPR (Automatic Number Plate Recognition) + FASTag

• 41,500 vehicles on Day 1

• NHAI: National Highways Authority of India

🔑 Key Term: Multi-Lane Free Flow (MLFF) Tolling — A barrier-less electronic toll collection system where vehicles pass through toll points at highway speed without stopping; uses ANPR and FASTag for automatic toll deduction.