Good news for daily commuters travelling between Chandigarh and Delhi on Nh- 44. The journey on the highway is set to become much smoother, as travellers will no longer have to stop at the Gharaunda toll plaza in Karnal. Want to know why? Read on!
NHAI Introduces An MLFF Tolling System
The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has rolled out a Multi-Lane Free Flow (MLFF) tolling system that automatically deducts toll taxes through FASTag while vehicles are still moving at highway speeds.
Rakesh Kumar, Regional Officer, NHAI Chandigarh, spoke to Moneycontrol and stated that the updated system marks a significant shift from traditional toll plazas to technology-driven highway travel. Instead of stopping or waiting in queues, vehicles will pass beneath overhead gantries equipped with high-performance cameras and sensors that detect the vehicle and deduct the toll digitally via FASTag.
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The project is expected to substantially reduce travel time and fuel consumption, especially for daily travellers, commercial vehicle operators and families travelling on one of North India’s busiest highway corridors. Since vehicles no longer need to repeatedly brake, stop, or accelerate near the toll plaza, the system is also expected to improve traffic flow and reduce emissions.
What Travellers Need To Know
To guarantee a seamless toll payment, drivers must maintain an adequate FASTag balance, verify that the FASTag is active and correctly affixed to the vehicle’s windscreen, and keep the vehicle registration plate clearly visible.
For cases where toll deduction fails due to an inactive FASTag, insufficient balance or other tag-related issues, NHAI has implemented an e-notice system. Vehicle owners can check pending notices on the NIC portal or through the Rajmargyatra mobile application by entering their vehicle registration number and verifying it using an OTP sent to the mobile number linked with the VAHAN database.
If the outstanding toll is paid within 72 hours, drivers will only be required to pay the normal toll amount. However, payments made after the 72-hour window will attract double the applicable toll fee. Those who believe an e-notice has been issued incorrectly can also file a grievance through the NIC portal within the same 72-hour period.
What are your thoughts about this new technology?
FAQs
Is the Delhi-Chandigarh expressway open?
Reports suggest most stretches are expected to become operational between late 2026 and March 2027.