In a move aimed at streamlining toll collection and preventing revenue leakage ahead of the Multi-Lane Free Flow (MLFF) implementation, the Ministry of Road Transport has announced a new rule: failure to pay toll on national highways will now result in the denial of a No Objection Certificate (NOC) for vehicle-related services. This includes renewal of registration and insurance, change of ownership, transfer, and issuance of a fitness certificate. The notification was issued early this week.

The regulation is slated to take effect a month before the scheduled rollout of MLFF, or barrierless tolling, on approximately half a dozen National Highway stretches. MLFF aims to eliminate physical barriers at toll plazas, allowing vehicles to pass through seamlessly while user fees are collected electronically. Advanced work on MLFF implementation is currently underway at Manoharpur and Shahjahanpur on the Delhi-Jaipur highway, Chorasi on the Surat-Vadodara stretch of NH-48, and Gharonda on the Delhi-Chandigarh highway.

The changes to the Central Motor Vehicles Rules are expected to significantly boost digital toll collection and ensure compliance once barrierless tolling is in place. Under the new system, any "unpaid user fee" will be linked to NOCs required for various vehicle-related transactions. The "unpaid user fee" is defined as the toll amount due for using a section of a national highway where the electronic toll collection system has recorded the vehicle's passage but hasn't received the corresponding payment.

To address potential disputes, officials have announced the upcoming launch of a dedicated portal where users can register complaints and seek resolutions. This mechanism aims to provide a fair avenue for settling disagreements related to toll payments and ensure a smooth transition to the new system. The specifics of how disputes will be handled and resolved are expected to be detailed upon the portal's launch. This move is intended to create enough scope for settlement.