According to new guidelines from the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), vehicles entering toll lanes on national highways without a properly affixed FASTag on their front windshield will incur double the toll fee.

This initiative is designed to discourage highway users from intentionally avoiding the installation of FASTag on their vehicle’s windshield. Deliberate failure to affix FASTag causes unnecessary delays at toll plazas.

NHAI has provided comprehensive standard operating procedures (SOPs) to all user fee collection agencies and concessionaires, instructing them to levy double the user fee for vehicles without a FASTag properly affixed on the front windshield. This information will be prominently displayed at all toll plazas to alert highway users about the penalties for not having a FASTag.

According to an official statement from NHAI, CCTV footage capturing the vehicle registration number (VRN) at the toll plaza will be recorded for cases involving non-affixed FASTags. This measure will help maintain accurate records of the fees charged and the vehicle’s presence in the toll lane.

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FASTags that are not affixed to the assigned vehicle as required will not be eligible for electronic toll collection (ETC) at a user-fee plaza and will incur double the toll fee, with the possibility of being blacklisted. Issuer banks have been directed to ensure that FASTags are securely attached to the front windshield of the assigned vehicle at the time of issuance from different points of sale (POS).

NHAI collects user fees on national highways according to the National Highway Fee (Determination of Rates and Collection) Rules, 2008. User fees are currently collected across approximately 45,000 km of national highways and expressways at about 1,000 toll plazas throughout the country.

Amit Lakhotia, founder and CEO of Park+, praised NHAI’s new guidelines, stating that FASTags are crucial for making highways smarter and safer. He noted that imposing double toll fees on drivers without properly affixed FASTags is a positive step. Lakhotia emphasized that this move will benefit car owners and toll plaza workers by ensuring smoother traffic flow and reducing inconvenience. He assured that Park+, as the largest FASTag distributor in the country, is committed to adhering to these guidelines and ensuring compliance among its partners.

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