Maharashtra’s Transport Department is exploring the deployment of an artificial intelligence (AI)-based toll collection system at Dahisar Toll Plaza. The initiative, proposed during a recent high-level review meeting, seeks to replace the city’s outdated manual tolling process with a contactless, automated mechanism designed to improve mobility and air quality.
Officials noted that the Dahisar toll point, serving as the northern entry to Mumbai, experiences long traffic queues daily, delaying emergency services and contributing to heavy fuel wastage. “An AI-based system will help streamline operations, cut idle time, and reduce the carbon footprint caused by stop-and-go traffic,” said a senior transport department official. The proposed solution will integrate AI-enabled cameras capable of scanning vehicle registration plates, verifying toll payments in real time, and allowing seamless passage without human intervention. This approach, already used in several global smart mobility corridors, is expected to enhance transparency and reduce human error while boosting traffic flow efficiency.
A senior urban mobility expert said the project marks a “practical step” toward data-driven transport governance. “AI tolling could save thousands of litres of fuel daily and drastically reduce pollution hotspots. But its success depends on integration with FASTag data, digital payment infrastructure, and enforcement measures,” the expert noted. The new plan also includes an option for a unified toll payment model—enabling commuters to pay for multiple toll points at one location—further simplifying road use and potentially reducing operational bottlenecks. Officials added that previous proposals to relocate the toll plaza were put on hold after local objections. Instead, the government is now focusing on a smart technology upgrade as an interim solution that could lead to the eventual phase-out of physical toll barriers once traffic efficiency improves.
Complementing the tolling overhaul, authorities reviewed ongoing road-widening works along the Dahisar corridor. Instructions were issued to expedite improvement projects near Penkar Phata and the Delhi Darbar stretch to ensure smoother vehicular movement and pedestrian safety. “Smart technology must work hand in hand with smart planning,” said an official. “AI tolling can make urban travel cleaner, faster, and more predictable—benefitting not just motorists but also the city’s environmental health.”
If approved, the Dahisar pilot could serve as a model for intelligent tolling infrastructure across Maharashtra’s metropolitan regions, advancing the state’s goal of building sustainable, low-emission urban transport systems.
Mumbai Plans AI-Driven Tolling To Tackle Congestion And Cut Pollution
