Free Flow Fee Plaza (PTI Image) New Delhi: Breaking the perception that people avoid paying pending highway tolls, NHAI on Monday said half of those who had received e-notices after the first multi-lane free flow (MLFF), or barrierless tolling, was introduced on NH-48 in Gujarat have paid their dues – about Rs 30 lakh. The e-notices issued to vehicle owners for failure to pay toll were introduced from May 1 after the tolling and technology wing of NHAI.

IHMCL launches MLFF system. Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari inaugurated the second such facility in Delhi on Monday. “This seamless system will make travel easier as no one needs to stop.

This will save time and fuel and save NHAI’s expenses for toll collection. We will save at least Rs 6,000-7,000 crore annually. It will also prevent leakage of toll revenue.

If it is seamless then people have no objection in paying toll,” he told TOI. He said IHMCL has so far bid for 17 MLFF plazas and bids have been invited for another 108. Gadkari said once all 700 toll plazas become barrier-free, it is estimated to save Rs 295 crore per year in terms of fuel and help reduce 81,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions, “Also there will be reduction in travel time and increase in logistics efficiency.

Our operating cost of toll collection will be 12-15% from the present and this saving will be used for more highway projects,” Gadkari said. The minister said that high-powered cameras installed at MLFF toll plazas will also help in curbing traffic violations.

Yadav said that learning from the earlier MLFF tolling, measures would be taken at subsequent toll plazas to alert drivers about the barrier-less tolling space. Yadav also announced several initiatives that will be launched soon to inform and alert drivers on their mobile phones about diversions, fog, cattle and landslide prone areas and to track ambulances in case of emergency.

These alerts will be shown on navigation apps.