Big relief for non-FASTag users on tolls, penalty reduced if paid through UPI

The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has rolled out a big relief for non-FASTag users by reducing the penalty for the same. According to a recent report, non-FASTag users will have to pay 1.25 times the price of the toll fee, instead of paying twice as much. The amendment is only for those users who pay through the Unified Payments Interface (UPI). The new rule will come into effect from November 15, 2025.

Non-FASTag users to now pay 1.25x as penalty

For non-FASTag users, the move should come as a big relief. For instance, if a toll fee costs ₹100 using the FASTag, non-FASTag users will have to pay 1.25 times the price or ₹125, as a toll fee with the penalty. Currently, non-FASTag users pay double the price or ₹200 (in this instance), for not having a valid FASTag. The move aims to plug the cash leakages during toll collections on national highways. That said, it appears that non-FASTag users paying via cash will still have to cough up double the amount as a penalty.

Moreover, in case a vehicle has a valid FASTag but the toll collection system fails to identify the same, the motorist will be allowed to cross the toll plaza without making any payment. The move aims to make toll operators more accountable for operating and maintaining the toll collection systems.

The current adoption of FASTag users on national highways stands at 98 per cent, which helped bring down the average wait time at toll plazas to 47 seconds in 2022, according to government estimates.

The move aims to encourage the use of FASTags on highways, more so with the introduction of the FASTag Annual Pass this year, which costs ₹3,000 annually and allows 200 trips on national highways and expressways. More recently, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) issued an update allowing FASTag Annual Pass users to port to a new FASTag in case of damage.

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