No More Stopping At Toll Plaza: Tamil Nadu Gets Barrier-Free System At Paranur

Motorists passing through the Tambaram and Tindivanam section of Tamil Nadu's national highway network will no longer have to stop at the Paranur toll plaza to pay toll. The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has introduced a barrier-free toll collection system at Paranur from October 1, allowing vehicles to pass through without stopping at the toll booth. Located near Chengalpattu on National Highway 45, this is the first toll plaza in Tamil Nadu to shift to fully automated fee collection under Multi-Lane Free Flow (MLFF) technology. The toll plaza falls on the 46.5-km Tambaram-Tindivanam stretch.

The country's first barrier-free toll plaza, situated on the Kamrej-Choryasi stretch between Surat and Bharuch, became operational on the Mumbai-Delhi national highway (NH48) in May this year.

How Will The New Toll System Work?

The system uses a combination of FASTag-linked radio-frequency identification technology and Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras. As a vehicle passes through the tolling zone, overhead equipment reads the FASTag and captures the vehicle registration number. The information is then used to identify the vehicle and process the applicable user fee without requiring it to stop or stay in a designated toll lane.

The shift is aimed at reducing queues and delays at toll plazas. NHAI says barrier-free tolling will improve traffic flow, reduce fuel consumption and lower vehicular emissions by eliminating the need for vehicles to idle at toll booths. It will also reduce manual intervention in toll collection and is intended to make transactions more efficient and transparent.

What Happens If FASTag Does Not Work?

A valid and functional FASTag with sufficient balance is important for motorists using the system. NHAI has said that an electronic notice will be issued in cases involving insufficient balance, an invalid or non-functional FASTag.

The Paranur rollout is part of a wider move towards barrier-free tolling across Indian highways. NHAI has already introduced the system at toll plazas in Gujarat, Delhi, Haryana and Rajasthan, while projects have also been awarded for locations in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and other states.