BHOPAL: Madhya Pradesh has become the first state in the country to pilot a barrier-less tolling system (SLFF), allowing vehicles to pass through the Fanda toll plaza on the Bhopal-Dewas road without stopping.
The technology is aimed at cutting delays, unnecessary braking, fuel consumption and congestion at toll points.
The technology, being implemented by the Madhya Pradesh Road Development Corporation (MPRDC), is expected to reduce waiting time at toll plazas, eliminate unnecessary braking and help cut fuel consumption and traffic congestion.
MPRDC Managing Director Bharat Yadav, a 2008-batch IAS officer, presented the technology and its implementation plan to Public Works Department Minister Rakesh Singh. Yadav explained how the system would combine vehicle identification, classification and automated toll processing to enable uninterrupted movement through the designated lane. Following the presentation, Singh directed officials to give the project priority, adhere to the prescribed timeline and undertake a detailed evaluation of the pilot before considering its expansion.
The MD, Bharat Yadav, said the initiative was being taken with the objective of making toll collection more efficient while improving the experience of highway users. The barrier-less model, he said, would reduce the need for vehicles to slow down or stop at toll points and could help address queues and traffic build-up during busy periods. The pilot will also provide operational data that can be used to assess the feasibility of extending the technology to other toll plazas.
Minister Singh said that under Chief Minister Mohan Yadav, Madhya Pradesh was focusing on integrating modern technology with road infrastructure to make travel safer, smoother and more time-efficient. He said the objective was not merely to build better roads but also to ensure that commuters could use them with greater convenience and minimum disruption.
The SLFF system uses FASTag/RFID readers, high-resolution Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras, vehicle detection and classification sensors, lane controllers and a transaction processing system. As a vehicle moves through the designated lane, the system identifies and categorises it, calculates the applicable toll and processes the payment through the FASTag account.
The system is designed to permit vehicles travelling at speeds of up to around 100 kmph to pass through the tolling point without stopping. This is expected to remove braking associated with conventional boom barriers and make traffic movement more continuous.
Provision has also been made for unsuccessful or delayed transactions. If a FASTag has insufficient balance, the registration details are incorrect, or another technical issue prevents immediate toll collection, an e-challan will be generated for the vehicle. The outstanding amount will have to be paid within three days, failing which recovery will be initiated along with the applicable penalty under the rules.
The pilot is currently being conducted in one lane at the Fanda toll plaza. The performance of the system will be assessed on parameters including reliability, operational efficiency and convenience for commuters. If the trial proves successful, the state plans to introduce the system across all lanes of all three toll plazas on the Bhopal-Dewas road from January 1, 2027.
Rakesh Singh has also asked officials to use the findings of the pilot to prepare a detailed roadmap for deploying barrier-less tolling at other suitable toll plazas across Madhya Pradesh. The initiative is expected to help reduce queues, save motorists time and fuel, and move the state towards a more technology-driven and seamless toll collection system.