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FASTag users can recharge their accounts at any time using multiple payment methods, including UPI and net banking, before reaching a toll.
National Highway Toll Plazas use the ICD 2.5 protocol, which provides real-time FASTag status.
The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has rolled out new FASTag regulations recently. Under the new rules, vehicles with insufficient balance or blacklisted FASTags won’t be allowed to pass through toll plazas.
If a FASTag gets blacklisted upon reaching a toll, the user will be required to pay double the toll charges. However, users can request a penalty refund if they recharge their FASTag within 10 minutes of it being scanned.
A 70-minute grace period is now in place to give motorists a chance to recharge their FASTag after receiving a low-balance alert, helping them avoid penalties before reaching the toll booth.
The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) clarified that the circular’s purpose is to resolve disputes between banks over the FASTag status as vehicles cross toll plazas. It also ensures that FASTag transactions occur in a timely manner, avoiding any inconvenience for customers.
The NHAI also encourages customers to link their FASTag wallets to UPI or bank accounts with auto-recharge settings to avoid manual recharges. Customers can continue to top up their FASTag through various methods, such as UPI and net banking, before reaching the toll plaza.
As per Zee Business, new rules aimed at improving the FASTag experience came into effect this week, with the latest NPCI data showing a 6 percent rise in FASTag transactions in December, reaching 382 million, and a 9 percent increase in transaction value to Rs 6,642 crore.
All National Highway toll plazas use the ICD 2.5 protocol, which provides real-time FASTag status, allowing customers to recharge at any time before crossing.
However, some state highway tolls still operate on the older ICD 2.4 protocol, which requires regular updates. Plans are underway to upgrade all such plazas to ICD 2.5 soon.
