Gadkari’s plan to make India’s toll plazas disappear

Union minister Nitin Gadkari announced India's shift towards fully digital and barrier-free tolling at the Global Fintech Fest. FASTag, a digital toll collection system, has already reduced waiting times by 80-90% at toll plazas. Gadkari said the government aims to eliminate physical barriers entirely by February through a multi-lane free flow (MLFF) system, which will also cut operational costs.

He highlighted that the reduction in waiting time has saved 71 crore hours of time and around Rs 68,500 crore annually, equivalent to planting 2.7 crore trees. Gadkari emphasized the government's goal of making all highway payments digital and improving the fintech ecosystem. He called for increased competition in the tolling market to enhance service quality and deliver both economic and environmental benefits.