NHAI gathers toll charges for about 45,000km of national highways and expressways at approximately 1,000 toll plazas nationwide.
According to new guidelines from NHAI, those driving cars on national highways must have a properly affixed FASTag on the front windshield to avoid paying double the toll tax when entering toll lanes.
The intention of the step is to discourage national highway users from intentionally failing to install FASTag on the vehicle’s windshield. Intentionally not attaching FASTag causes avoidable delays at toll booths.
NHAI has released specific standard operating procedures (SOPs) to enforce double user fee charges if FASTag is not placed on the front windshield by user fee collection agencies and concessionaires. The details will also be prominently shown at every user fee booth, educating highway users about the consequences of entering a toll lane without a valid FASTag.
Moreover, NHAI mentioned in an official statement that CCTV footage will be taken at the fee plaza for non-affixed FASTag cases, capturing the vehicle registration number (VRN) to track the fee charged and vehicle presence in the toll lane.
Any FASTag not properly placed on the designated vehicle will not be able to use electronic toll collection at a toll plaza and will face double toll fees and potential blacklisting. Issuer banks have also been instructed by NHAI to make sure that the FASTag is affixed to the designated vehicle’s front windshield at the point of sale.
NHAI enforces the collection of user fee on national highways in accordance with the regulations specified in the National Highway Fee (Determination of Rates and Collection) Rules, 2008. Currently, tolls are gathered for about 45,000km of national roads and highways at roughly 1,000 toll booths throughout the nation.
Praising NHAI’s decision, Park+ founder and CEO Amit Lakhotia expressed that FASTags are crucial in making our highways more intelligent and secure for every vehicle owner. The new rules that require drivers to pay double toll if they enter toll lanes without a properly attached FASTag on their vehicle is a necessary move in the correct direction.
This action will greatly benefit both car owners and toll booth workers by improving traffic flow and minimizing inconvenience for everyone involved. He added that as the leading distributor of FASTags in the country, Park+ is dedicated to ensuring that all partners comply with the regulations imposed by the law.
