CHENNAI: Motorists travelling from Chennai to Tiruchy, Madurai and other southern destinations will have to keep a close watch on the FASTag balance of their vehicles, as the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has introduced a plaza-less toll collection system using Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) integrated with FASTag.
The new system, called the Multi-Lane Free Flow (MLFF) user fee collection system, came into force on Thursday, phasing out the Paranur toll plaza on GST Road, one of the major congestion points in the Chennai suburbs. Motorists can now save at least 15 minutes of travel time, as vehicles pass through the tolling point without stopping to pay the user fee on the Tambaram-Tindivanam stretch. However, on the flipside, motorists will have to ensure sufficient balance in their FASTag accounts as vehicles will not be stopped manually at the toll point to check whether the account has sufficient funds.
Officials from the NHAI said the barriers in all lanes of the existing conventional toll plaza at Paranur have been removed, and the structure will soon be dismantled.
“Vehicles with invalid FASTags or insufficient balance would be charged 200% of the applicable toll fee through e-challans. Once an e-challan is generated, the FASTag will automatically be suspended,” an official said, adding that if the e-challan is not paid within 72 hours, the applicable fee will be doubled.
“This means, those with insufficient FASTag balance will be paying 400% of the applicable fee on the fourth day,” the official said. Once the fee is doubled, the penalty will be linked to the VAHAN portal, disabling transport-related services. “Unlike the earlier system, motorists will now have to keep track of their FASTag balance and check whether any e-challan has been generated,” the official said.
S Radhakrishnan of Tambaram said, “The Paranur toll gate has been a major chokepoint for several decades. Allowing vehicles to cross the toll point without stopping will save travel time for all, particularly benefit bus travellers during weekends and festival seasons.”
A similar toll collection system is currently under trial at Chennasamudram (Walajah) and Nemili (Sriperumbudur) plazas on the Chennai-Bengaluru NH and is expected to be rolled out soon.
Up to 400% fine
There will be no human intervention at the Paranur toll point
Vehicles with invalid FASTags or insufficient balance will be charged 200% of the applicable toll fee through an e-challan
Once an e-challan is generated, the FASTag account will be suspended
If the e-challan is not paid within 72 hours, the applicable user fee will be doubled again
For instance, if the applicable toll fee is `100, a vehicle with an invalid FASTag or insufficient balance would have to pay `200 through the e-challan
If the amount is not paid within 72 hours, the fee would increase to `400
Failure to clear the dues could also result in the suspension of VAHAN-related transport services