The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has issued new guidelines to standardise the design and infrastructure of toll plazas on four-lane and wider national highways, paving the way for wider adoption of the barrier-less Multi-Lane Free Flow (MLFF) tolling system across the country.
The new norms are aimed at ensuring that all upcoming and ongoing national highway projects are equipped to support free-flow toll collection, enabling vehicles to pass through toll points without stopping at physical booths. The system is expected to eliminate traffic queues, reduce waiting times and fuel consumption, and improve road safety and travel efficiency.
According to NHAI, the policy circular establishes uniform standards for toll plaza layouts, lane configurations, gantries, road infrastructure, lighting, signage and supporting facilities. With electronic toll collection replacing conventional physical barriers, the number of lanes required has also been rationalised, allowing more efficient utilisation of available space and smoother traffic movement.
The guidelines will apply to all future and under-construction national highway projects. Projects currently at the Detailed Project Report (DPR) stage will have to incorporate the new design standards, while projects already awarded or under construction will adopt the requirements through appropriate contractual provisions.
NHAI has directed its field offices to ensure implementation of the guidelines in upcoming projects and facilitate necessary modifications in ongoing works.
The standards also provide for adequate lighting, advance traffic guidance through signage and Electronic Variable Message Signs (EVMS), and the development of an administrative building-cum-operations and maintenance centre at toll plazas. These facilities are intended to improve visibility, provide real-time information to road users and strengthen operational management.
The latest initiative builds on NHAI’s earlier guidelines for high-speed access-controlled national highways and represents a significant step towards establishing a uniform, barrier-less electronic tolling framework across India’s national highway network.