New Toll Tax Payment Rule: Starting April 10, traveling on India’s highways will become completely digital. The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has made preparations to completely eliminate cash transactions at toll plazas. From now on, only FASTag will be used to pay tolls.
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Toll Tax Payment Rule Change: A major change is on the horizon for those traveling on National Highways and Expressways. Starting April 10, cash payments will no longer be accepted at toll plazas. The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) has amended the toll regulations by issuing a Gazette Notification. Now, every toll transaction will be conducted exclusively through digital modes. Consequently, FASTag has become mandatory. In the absence of a FASTag, payments can still be made online; however, doing so may prove to be a somewhat costlier option.
This initiative is expected to reduce waiting times at toll plazas and improve traffic flow on busy National Highways. There are numerous toll plazas where long queues typically form during weekends, causing travelers to face various difficulties.
How to Make Payments If You Do Not Have a FASTag
If a vehicle does not have a FASTag, or if it is not activated, the driver will be provided with the facility to make the payment via UPI. However, in such a scenario, the driver will be required to pay an additional toll amount. When paying via UPI, the driver will have to pay 25 percent more than the standard toll fee. Consequently, if the standard toll fee is ₹100, the driver will have to pay ₹125 when making the payment through UPI.
If a driver refuses to pay the toll using either FASTag or UPI, toll employees are authorized to prevent them from proceeding further under the National Highways Fee Rules. In such instances, an e-notice may also be issued to the vehicle owner. If the outstanding amount remains unpaid for three days, the toll charges may be doubled.
Misuse of Government Exemptions to End
A common issue at toll plazas was that individuals associated with certain government departments or services would claim exemptions simply by displaying their ID cards—even when undertaking personal travel. Under the new regulations, this practice has been explicitly discontinued. Now, toll exemptions will not be granted to an individual, but rather based on the specific vehicle or its official usage. Those eligible for exemptions must obtain an ‘Exempted FASTag’ by following the prescribed procedure. Alternatively, they may opt for an annual FASTag pass. This measure will help reduce the hassle of repeated ID checks and minimize arguments at toll plazas—situations that frequently led to disputes and resulted in long queues of vehicles.
Complete These Tasks Before April 10
To avoid any inconvenience at toll plazas, ensure you get a FASTag installed and activated on your vehicle before April 10. Additionally, before leaving home, make sure to verify that your FASTag has sufficient balance and that its KYC details are fully updated. If your KYC is not up to date, your FASTag could be blacklisted.
