Japanese delegation inspects India's MLFF tolling system

A Japanese delegation visited the Multi-Lane Free Flow (MLFF) tolling system in Mundka-Bakkarwala on the sidelines of the 12th India–Japan Joint Working Group Meeting on Roads and Road Transportation. The visit provided insights into India's technology-driven initiatives for seamless highway travel.

The MLFF system, managed by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), utilizes a combination of RFID-based FASTag electronic toll collection, automatic number plate recognition (ANPR), and AI analytics. This allows vehicles to pass through charging points without stopping or slowing down. Current installations include sites in Gujarat, Delhi, Haryana, and Rajasthan, with tenders launched for an additional 104 toll plazas across the country.

The Indian government chose to integrate FASTag with ANPR and AI rather than moving directly to satellite-based collection, citing security, privacy, and operational control considerations regarding GPS-based systems. The joint working group meeting in New Delhi also addressed advanced construction technologies, bridge and tunnel engineering, and sustainable infrastructure.