MLFF, AI highway management to eliminate toll waiting by 2026: Gadkari

The multi-lane free flow (MLFF) toll system and AI-driven highway management will be implemented across India by the end of 2026, eliminating waiting time at toll plazas, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari informed the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday.

Replying to supplementaries during the question hour, Gadkari said the AI-based technology will allow vehicles to cross toll plazas without stopping , saving fuel worth Rs 1,500 crore and increasing government revenue by Rs 6,000 crore.

He explained that the MLFF system is a major upgrade over earlier toll collection methods. Previously, vehicles had to stop for cash payments, which could take 3–10 minutes. With FastTag , waiting time reduced to under a minute, and now, MLFF allows vehicles to pass at up to 80 km/h without stopping, using FastTag, AI, and satellite-based number plate recognition .

The minister highlighted that the new system will ensure transparency and reduce corruption , as toll collection will be fully automated. AI and number plate recognition will prevent toll theft, and a centralized monitoring system will maintain accurate records of all toll transactions.

Gadkari clarified that the government is responsible only for national highways , not state or city roads, though issues on the latter are sometimes mistakenly attributed to national highways on social media. He stressed that the project will reduce travel time, improve efficiency, and create a corruption-free system .

“The MLFF system will make toll plazas virtually invisible. People will no longer have to stop, travel time will decrease, fuel savings will rise, and revenue collection will be more secure,” he added.