Toll plaza staff oppose proposed MLFF system fearing job losses

Patiala: Hundreds of employees working at toll plazas under the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) staged a protest on Monday against the Centre's proposed multi-lane free flow (MLFF) tolling, claiming that the move would deopardise thousands of jobs and create hardships for general public.Under the banner of the Toll Plaza Workers Union Punjab, employees from across the state held demonstrations and a road march on Chandigarh-Bathinda National Highway. A memorandum highlighting their concerns was submitted to Union minister for road transport and highways Nitin Gadkari through the project implementation unit (PIU), Chandigarh.Darshan Singh Ladi, state president of the union, expressed concern that the booth-free system would eliminate employment opportunities for more than 10,000 workers currently employed at 47 NHAI toll plazas in Punjab. He said, "This MLFF is AI based, GPS and booth-free toll collection system and it will jeopardise thousands of jobs. At a time when the country was already grappling with rising unemployment among youth, such "anti-employment policies" could worsen the situation and push vulnerable sections toward economic distress", he said.NHAI region officer Rakesh Kumar said so far no such AI-based tolling system has started in Punjab and thus none of the employees are losing jobs due to it. He said, "As a pilot project, MLFF tolling system is being planned by central govt to be introduced at four to five locations only in the country on a trial basis and it is yet to be planned in Punjab. In the coming future, the MLFF tolling system at NH-44 may roll out soon on a trial basis. The need for employees remain intact. The trial basis will make clear about the pros and cons and success or shortcomings of the project."