Nemili toll plaza goes barrier-free on NH-48 from 12 Nov: driver checks

By Rahul Goyal · 12 Nov, 2026

NHAI is bringing barrier-free MLFF tolling to Nemili on the Chennai–Bengaluru NH-48 from 12 Nov 2026. Drivers will need a working FASTag and should know how e-notices work.

Nemili toll plaza goes barrier-free on NH-48 from 12 Nov: driver checks

Barrier-free Multi-Lane Free Flow (MLFF) tolling is set to start at the Nemili toll plaza near Sriperumbudur on the Chennai–Bengaluru NH-48 from 00:00 on 12 Nov 2026, according to reports by DT Next and LiveChennai. For motorists, the important change is that vehicles can pass the tolling zone without stopping at a conventional booth, while the applicable toll is still collected electronically through FASTag and number-plate checks.

The rollout should reduce stopping and queueing at this busy corridor, but it also makes basic account and vehicle-record checks more important. A functional FASTag linked to the correct registration number is the first line of protection against failed deductions and later e-notices.

Key takeaways

Nemili is scheduled to become a barrier-free MLFF toll plaza on NH-48 from 12 Nov 2026.
RFID readers will identify FASTag transactions while AI-enabled ANPR cameras capture vehicle registration numbers.
Barrier-free does not mean toll-free: the applicable user fee will still be collected from the linked FASTag account.
Drivers should check the tag balance, windshield placement, vehicle number and linked mobile details before using the corridor.
The official MLFF e-Notice portal says users have 72 hours to pay an unpaid-toll notice to avoid the two-times user-fee consequence, and 72 hours to raise a grievance.

What is changing at Nemili

Nemili toll plaza is near Sriperumbudur on the Chennai–Bengaluru section of NH-48. DT Next reported on 11 Nov that NHAI would begin barrier-free collection there from zero hours on 12 Nov. LiveChennai published the same operational date on 12 Nov and described the plaza as the second in Tamil Nadu to adopt the system, after Paranur near Chengalpattu moved to barrier-free collection on 1 Oct 2026.

The development is part of NHAI’s wider MLFF programme. A Ministry of Road Transport and Highways release carried by the Press Information Bureau on 29 Jan 2026 listed Nemili among the fee plazas for which barrier-less tolling work had been awarded. That earlier official status supports the location-level reports about the new system becoming operational, while the two recent reports provide the reported start date.

How the barrier-free toll system works

MLFF replaces the physical stop-and-pay movement with an overhead technology zone. RFID equipment reads the FASTag fixed to the vehicle, while AI-enabled Automatic Number Plate Recognition cameras capture the registration number. The system then matches the two records and deducts the applicable toll from the linked account, as described in the Nemili reports and NHAI’s official MLFF material.

That means drivers should not treat the absence of a boom barrier as an exemption from payment. The vehicle may not need to stop, but the toll obligation remains. A tag that is inactive, blocked, low on balance or linked to a different vehicle can create a payment problem even when the vehicle passes through smoothly.

Checks to make before using NH-48

1. Confirm FASTag status and balance

Check that the tag is active, attached to the front windscreen and linked to the vehicle being driven. The tag should have enough balance for the journey, especially if the route includes more than one tolling point. The FASTag balance and recharge guide explains the checks to make when a deduction is missing or appears incorrect.

2. Keep vehicle details consistent

MLFF uses the tag and the registration number together. Before travelling, verify that the FASTag issuer has the correct vehicle registration details and that the mobile number used for alerts is current. If the vehicle has recently changed hands, received a new registration number or had its windscreen replaced, confirm the tag record before entering the tolling zone.

3. Keep the e-Notice route in mind

The official MLFF e-Notice Road User Portal says an electronically generated notice is used to notify road users of unpaid toll fees. It currently instructs users to pay within 72 hours to avoid paying two times the user fee and allows a grievance to be raised within 72 hours of issue. Save the notice details and check the vehicle registration number before making any payment.

For a route-level estimate, use the toll charges and trip-cost calculator before departure. The result can help separate the normal toll budget from any unexpected notice or failed transaction; it does not replace the toll operator’s final deduction record.

What it could mean for time and fuel use

NHAI’s 6 Nov 2026 guidelines say barrier-free tolling is intended to remove queues and waiting time and reduce fuel consumption at toll plazas. Those are system-level objectives, not a guaranteed saving for every trip. The actual benefit will depend on traffic volume, lane discipline, the accuracy of the electronic match and how quickly any exceptions are resolved.

For private drivers, the practical gain is less stop-start movement at the plaza. For buses, trucks and other high-use vehicles on the Chennai–Bengaluru corridor, avoiding repeated idling may matter more over a month than on one crossing. Drivers can compare the broader route cost with the fuel cost calculator, using their own vehicle’s fuel efficiency and current fuel price rather than assuming a fixed saving from MLFF.

What to watch next on the corridor

DT Next reported that Chennasamudram near Walajah could follow after trial operations. NHAI’s official list also included Chennasamudram among the plazas selected for barrier-less tolling. That suggests the Chennai–Bengaluru route may see more gantries and fewer conventional toll booths as the phased programme advances, but each plaza’s operational date should be checked separately.

The Ministry’s November guidelines also standardise the design of MLFF plazas on four-lane and wider National Highways, including gantries, lane layouts, lighting, signage and electronic message boards. Drivers should therefore watch the road signs and avoid stopping suddenly in the tolling zone. A route plan made through the road-trip planner can help identify the corridor and build in time for any transition-period traffic management.

Reader takeaway

Nemili’s shift to MLFF changes how the toll is collected, not whether it is payable. Keep the FASTag active and correctly linked, check the balance before entering NH-48, and retain any transaction or e-notice record until the journey’s tolls are reconciled.