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The National Highways Authority of India has raised concerns over increasing instances of motorists using tampered or obscured vehicle number plates to avoid toll payments at newly introduced barrier-less toll plazas. The issue has emerged at the camera-based Multi-Lane Free Flow (MLFF) toll system operational on Delhi’s Urban Extension Road-II corridor near Mundka. According to reports, some motorists are concealing or modifying High Security Registration Plates to disrupt automatic number plate recognition systems used for toll deduction. NHAI has sought stricter enforcement support from transport authorities as the government accelerates the rollout of AI-enabled and satellite-supported seamless tolling infrastructure across national highways to reduce congestion and improve traffic movement.
The National Highways Authority of India has flagged rising instances of motorists tampering with vehicle number plates to evade toll payments at newly operational barrier-less toll plazas, raising concerns over enforcement challenges linked to India’s expanding automated tolling infrastructure. Advertisement
According to reports, the issue has surfaced at the camera-based Multi-Lane Free Flow (MLFF) toll plaza located on the Urban Extension Road-II corridor near Mundka in Delhi, where vehicles are allowed to pass without stopping while toll charges are automatically deducted through digital systems.
The automated tolling system uses a combination of FASTag-based RFID technology and Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras mounted overhead to identify vehicles and process toll deductions digitally. The initiative forms part of the government’s broader push towards seamless highway mobility and barrier-free toll collection systems across India’s national highway network.
NHAI has reportedly informed transport authorities that several vehicle owners are obscuring or altering their High Security Registration Plates using paper, stickers, reflective coatings, stylised lettering or other modifications that prevent cameras from accurately reading registration details.
Officials indicated that such practices disrupt toll collection efficiency and undermine the integrity of the MLFF tolling mechanism, which relies heavily on accurate digital identification of vehicles. In some cases, authorities have also observed vehicles operating without properly affixed FASTags, further complicating toll enforcement.
According to reports, NHAI has requested the Delhi transport department to undertake stricter and continuous enforcement drives against vehicles using tampered or non-standard registration plates.
The issue comes at a time when India is rapidly transitioning towards advanced toll collection technologies aimed at reducing congestion and travel delays on highways. The government has been promoting barrier-free and satellite-linked tolling systems capable of allowing vehicles to travel through toll corridors without stopping.
Recent reports indicate that the government plans to gradually replace conventional toll plazas with GNSS-based and AI-enabled tolling infrastructure by the end of 2026. The proposed system would calculate toll charges based on the actual distance travelled on highways using satellite tracking and geo-fenced digital corridors.
Transport and enforcement agencies have also highlighted a broader rise in the use of illegal or stylised number plates in Delhi and NCR. According to police data cited in recent reports, prosecutions linked to defective, blank or fancy number plates increased significantly during the past year as authorities intensified enforcement against non-compliant vehicles.
Infrastructure experts note that automated tolling systems are expected to become increasingly important as India expands expressway and highway infrastructure to support higher traffic volumes and faster inter-city mobility. However, the success of such systems will depend heavily on enforcement compliance, digital integration and accurate vehicle identification mechanisms.
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