The highway users are issued an e-notice for non-payment of user fee in case of insufficient balance, invalid or non-functional FASTag. (File Photo)Almost one in every 10 vehicles crosses the barrier-less toll plaza with a faulty or invalid FASTag, according to an analysis of monthly reports from five Multi-Lane Free Flow (MLFF) toll plazas.As per the data from Mundaka toll plaza in Delhi, Choryasi in Gujarat, Gharaunda in Haryana, Daulatpura and Manoharpura in Rajasthan, a total of 10.52 lakh e-notices were issued between May and July to vehicles that crossed the toll plaza without paying the user fee. During the period, a total of 1.10 crore vehicle crossings were recorded since MLFF went live on respective toll plazas, meaning nearly 10% of vehicles were issued e-notices for non-payment of the toll.The barrier-less tolling system went live at Choryasi on May 1, Mundaka on May 11, Daulatpura on June 19, Gharaunda on June 25, Manoharpur on July 1, and Shahjahanpur (Rajasthan) on August 1.In MLFF, the vehicles do not need to stop at the toll gate to pay the user fee. The highway users are issued an e-notice for non-payment of user fee in case of insufficient balance, invalid or non-functional FASTag. The amount is required to be paid in 72 hours, failing which the defaulters will have to pay double the toll amount.A senior highway official said the total realisation of the amount against e-notices is around 40%, highest at Choryasi (over 60%) and lowest at Mundaka (around 20%).The data analysis further shows that the violation rate (total e-notices issued out of total vehicles crossing) is highest at Choryasi at 11.97%, followed by almost 11% at Mundaka, 8.17% at Manoharpura, 5.54% at Gharaunda and 5.07% at Daulatpura.However, in absolute numbers, Mundaka toll plaza in Delhi recorded the highest 4.54 lakh e-notices, despite the MLFF system going live there after Choryasi, which issued 3.70 lakh e-notices over the last three months.Story continues below this adThere have been some reduction in violations as well. The violation rate of non-payment of toll at the country’s first MLFF toll plaza Choryasi has dropped from 15.33% in May to 9.73% in July. The data shows that 11.04 lakh vehicles passed the plaza in May, of which 1.69 lakh e-notices were issued. Similarly, 1.09 lakh e-notices were issued against 10.49 lakh vehicles in June, and 91,240 e-notices against 9.38 lakh vehicles in July. The violation rate at Mundaka plaza has also reduced marginally, dropping from 11.41% in May to 10,59% in July.The vehicle category-wise analysis shows that car or jeep accounts for the highest number of e-notices at over 91% of share. Out of 10.52 lakh e-notices issued between May and July, 9.62 lakh were issued against cars only. This also because cars account for the highest number of vehicle crossings. Their violation rate fell from 15% in May to 9.9% in July, but they remain the single biggest compliance problem.This is followed by the heavy vehicles such as buses and tracks, which accounts for 3.5% of the total e-notices. Light commercial vehicles (LCV) accounted for 2.5% of e-notices, followed by 4-6 Axle (2%), 3-Axle (0.5%) and 7+OSV recorded only 74 e-notices in three months.The government is pushing for more MLFF toll plazas to reduce travel time, decongest highways (especially near toll plazas), improve fuel efficiency and lower vehicular emission. According to the economic survey 2025-26, the MLFF is projected to be implemented across all four-lane and above national highways and expressways by March 2029.Story continues below this adIndian Highways Management Company Ltd (IHMCL) — NHAI’s tolling implementation agency — has awarded the MLFF contract for 12 more fee plazas. These are Boraich on NH-48 in Gujarat; Nemili/Sri Perumbadur and Chenasamudram on NH-48 and Paranur on NH-45 in Tamil Nadu; Kasepalli, Amakathadu and Marur on NH-44 in Andhra Pradesh; Chalakwadi and Hiwargaon Pavsa on NH-50 in Maharashtra; Madanpur on NH-31 in Assam; and Badarpur- Faridabad on NH-19 in Haryana. Further, bids have been invited for an additional 104 fee plazas.Dheeraj Mishra is a Principal Correspondent with the Business Bureau of The Indian Express. He plays a critical role in covering India's massive infrastructure sectors, providing in-depth reporting on the connectivity lifelines of the nation. Expertise & Focus Areas: Mishra’s journalism is focused on two of the country's most capital-intensive and public-facing ministries: Ministry of Railways: Tracking the operations, safety, and development of India's vast railway network. Ministry of Road Transport & Highways: Covering policy decisions, infrastructure projects, and highway development. What sets Mishra apart is his rigorous use of the Right to Information (RTI) Actas a primary tool for news gathering. By relying on official data and government records, he ensures a high degree of accuracy and trustworthiness in his reporting. This data-driven approach has resulted in numerous impactful reports that hold public institutions accountable and bring transparency to government operations. Find all stories by Dheeraj Mishra here ... Read More