Millions of drivers to benefit from free-flow system, Nitin Gadkari makes big announcement

New Delhi (The Uttam Hindu): Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari on Wednesday announced a major relief for crores of motorists in the country in the Rajya Sabha. He said that by the end of 2026, the Multi-Lane Seamless Transport (MLFF) toll system and AI-powered highway management system will be fully implemented across the country. After the introduction of this cutting-edge technology, long queues of vehicles at toll plazas will become history and commuters will not need to stop their vehicles even for a moment to pay toll. Giving information during the Question Hour, Gadkari clarified that this entire system will be based on Artificial Intelligence (AI) and satellite technology.

Gadkari told the House that this change in the toll collection system would prove revolutionary. He recalled that previously, manual payment wasted 3 to 10 minutes at toll plazas, but FASTag has reduced this waiting time to 60 seconds or less. The government now aims to reduce this waiting time to zero minutes. With the introduction of the new MLFF technology, vehicles will be able to pass through toll plazas at speeds up to 80 kilometers per hour, and the toll will be automatically deducted by scanning the number plate through cameras and satellites. The minister claimed that the implementation of this system will not only save ₹1,500 crore in fuel, but will also increase government revenue by ₹6,000 crore and completely eliminate the problem of toll evasion.

The Union Minister set a deadline of 2026, stating that the work would be 100% completed by then. He also made an important clarification that the Central Government is responsible only for National Highways, and not for State Highways or city roads. He said that often on social media, problems related to State and city roads are presented as those of National Highways, which creates confusion. Gadkari assured the House that the government is trying to make the entire system transparent and corruption-free, which will definitely reduce the travel time of the common man.