New Delhi: In a bid to deter National Highway users from avoiding the mandatory FASTag, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has issued new guidelines to collect double the user fee from vehicles entering toll lanes without a FASTag affixed to the front windshield from the inside. The deliberate non-affixation of FASTag causes unnecessary delays at toll plazas, inconveniencing other highway users.
Detailed Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) have been disseminated to all User Fee Collection Agencies and Concessionaires. These procedures mandate the charging of double user fees in cases where vehicles do not have FASTag properly affixed. To ensure transparency, information about these penalties will be prominently displayed at all toll plazas.
Additionally, CCTV footage capturing the Vehicle Registration Number (VRN) at the fee plaza will be recorded for vehicles without affixed FASTags. This measure is intended to maintain accurate records of the fees charged and the presence of such vehicles in the toll lanes.
In line with existing regulations, NHAI aims to strictly enforce the procedural guidelines for affixing FASTag to the assigned vehicle’s front windshield. Any FASTag not properly affixed to the vehicle as per the standard process will not be eligible for Electronic Toll Collection (ETC) transactions and will incur double the toll fee. Furthermore, such vehicles may be blacklisted. Issuer banks have been instructed to ensure FASTags are fixed to the assigned vehicles’ windshields at the time of issuance from various Points-of-Sale (POS).
NHAI collects user fees on National Highways as per the National Highway Fee (Determination of Rates and Collection) Rules, 2008. Currently, user fees are collected for approximately 45,000 kilometers of National Highways and Expressways at around 1,000 toll plazas nationwide.
With a penetration rate of around 98 percent and over 8 crore users, FASTag has revolutionized the Electronic Toll Collection system in India. This new initiative to charge double user fees for non-affixed FASTags aims to make toll operations more efficient and ensure a seamless and comfortable journey for all National Highway users.