Bhopal, Sept. 4 -- Madhya Pradesh has launched the first-of-its-kind barrier-less tolling pilot in the country, allowing vehicles to pass through the Fanda toll plaza on the Bhopal-Dewas road without stopping at a conventional toll barrier.
The initiative, being implemented by the Madhya Pradesh Road Development Corporation (MPRDC) under the leadership of its Managing Director Bharat Yadav, a 2008-batch IAS officer, seeks to reduce waiting time, unnecessary braking, fuel consumption and congestion at toll plazas.
Bharat Yadav presented the technology and its implementation plan to PWD minister Rakesh Singh, explaining how the system combines vehicle identification,
classification and automated toll processing to enable uninterrupted movement through the designated lane.
The minister has also asked officials to use the pilot's findings to prepare a roadmap for deploying barrier-less tolling at other suitable toll plazas across Madhya Pradesh.
The SLFF system integrates 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 passes through the designated lane, the system identifies and categorises it, calculates the applicable toll and processes payment through the FASTag account.
MD of the Corporation Bharat Yadav said that the technology is designed to allow vehicles travelling at speeds of up to around 100 kmph to pass through the tolling point without stopping.
By eliminating conventional boom barriers and associated braking, it is expected to make traffic movement more continuous while saving motorists time and fuel.
The pilot is currently operational in one lane at Fanda and will be evaluated on reliability, operational efficiency and commuter convenience, Yadav said.
If successful, MPRDC plans to extend the system to all lanes of the three toll plazas on the Bhopal-Dewas road from January 1, 2027, he said.
The system also provides for unsuccessful or delayed transactions. If a FASTag has insufficient balance, registration details are incorrect, or a technical issue prevents immediate toll collection, an e-challan will be generated.
The outstanding amount must be paid within three days, failing which recovery will be initiated along with the applicable penalty.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.