New FASTag regulations came into force from today. The FASTag payments will now be verified within a designated time frame from the moment the tag is scanned at a toll plaza, the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) said in a circular dated January 28.

What is FASTag?

FASTag is an electronic toll collection system which allows cashless payments at toll plazas. It uses Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology to automatically deduct toll charges from a linked bank account, prepaid wallet, or payment app. A FASTag sticker is affixed to the vehicle’s windshield.

When the vehicle approaches a toll booth, RFID sensors scan the tag and charge the linked account. The barrier then opens, allowing the vehicle to pass.

Changes in FASTag Rules

Blacklisted FASTags – No Transactions Allowed

• If a FASTag is blacklisted, placed on a hotlist, or marked as low balance for more than 60 minutes before reaching the toll booth, the transaction will be declined.
• If a FASTag remains blacklisted for 10 minutes after being scanned, the payment will also be rejected.
• If both conditions are met, the system will decline the transaction with error code 176, and the vehicle will be charged double the toll fee as a penalty.

Grace Period for Recharging

• Users now have a 70-minute window before reaching the toll booth to rectify their FASTag status.
• If a FASTag is recharged within 10 minutes of an attempted transaction, users may qualify for a penalty refund and only pay the standard toll fee.

Delayed Transactions – Additional Charges
If a toll transaction is processed more than 15 minutes after passing the toll reader, users may face extra charges.

Chargebacks – Cooling Period Introduced
Banks can raise chargeback requests for incorrect deductions due to blacklisted or low-balance FASTags only after a 15-day cooling period.

What These Rules Mean for FASTag Users

• No last-minute recharges – If a FASTag has been blacklisted for more than 60 minutes before reaching a toll, a recharge won’t help at the last moment.
• Penalty refund possible – If a recharge is done within 10 minutes of scanning, users can request a refund and avoid paying double toll charges.
• Strict transaction monitoring – Users need to ensure their FASTag remains active to avoid delays, extra charges, or rejection at toll booths.

How to Avoid FASTag Issues

• Maintain a sufficient balance in your FASTag wallet.
• Regularly check the FASTag status to avoid blacklisting.
• Monitor transaction times to identify deduction delays.
• Keep the FASTag active to prevent rejection at toll booths.

New Delhi:

To deter users from deliberately not fixing FASTag on the windscreen of the vehicle, the National Highways Authority of India has issued guidelines to collect double toll fees from such users.

The Centre said deliberate non-affixation of FASTag on the windscreen leads to unnecessary delays at the toll plazas causing inconvenience to other users.

The Centre has issued a detailed Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) to all User Fee Collection Agencies and Concessionaires to charge double toll fees in cases of non-affixation of FASTag on the front windshield.

The New SOPs

The information will also be prominently displayed at all user fee plazas, informing highway users about the penalties for non-compliance of entering a toll lane without a fixed FASTag on the front windshield.

In addition, CCTV footage with Vehicle Registration Number (VRN) at the fee plaza shall be recorded of the non-affixed FASTag cases. This will help in maintaining proper records regarding the fee charged and the presence of the vehicle in the toll lane.

By already established rules, NHAI aims to enforce the standard procedural guidelines for affixation of FASTag on the front windshield of the assigned vehicle from inside.

Any FASTag that is not affixed on the vehicle as per standard process, will not be entitled to carry out Electronic Toll Collection (ETC) transactions at a User Fee Plaza and will have to pay a double toll fee as well as can be duly blacklisted.

Issuer banks have also been directed to ensure the fixation of the FASTag to the assigned vehicle on the front windshield at the time of issuance from various points of sale (POS).

With a penetration rate of around 98 per cent and over 8 crore users, FASTag has revolutionized the Electronic Toll Collection system in the country.

The Centre said the initiative of charging double user fees from non-affixation of FASTag will help to make toll operations more efficient and ensure seamless and comfortable journeys for the National Highway users.

Paytm FASTag users can continue to use the existing balance to pay tolls beyond the stipulated date. File
| Photo Credit: Reuters

National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has advised Paytm FASTag users to obtain a new FASTag from another bank before March 15 to ensure a smooth travel experience and avoid inconvenience at toll plazas, an official statement said on March 13.

This will help avoid penalties or double fee charges while commuting on National Highways, as per the statement.

Following the Reserve Bank of India’s guidelines on restrictions concerning Paytm Payments Bank, the statement said Paytm FASTag users will no longer have the option to recharge or top-up their balance after March 15, 2024.

However, they can continue to use the existing balance to pay tolls beyond the stipulated date, it added.

NHAI also advised Paytm FASTag users to reach out to their respective banks or refer to the FAQs provided on the IHMCL (Indian Highway Management Company Limited) website.

FASTag KYC Deadline Update: FASTags have become an important part of people’s lives. They allow commuters going on a road journey to pay the toll digitally and avoid the hassle of taking out cash. But National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) recently launched the ‘One Vehicle, One FASTag’ initiative, asking users to get the Know Your Customer (KYC) regulations done. If they forget to get it done, their FASTags will be deactivated. The highways authority kept the deadline as February 29, but now, news agency PTI has reported that the last day might be extended.

An NHAI official told PTI that the authority could give users more time “in view of the Paytm crisis”.

The compliance deadline could be extended to March-end. However, no official confirmation has come from NHAI.

FASTag is an electronic toll collection system in India, operated by the NHAI. It employs Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology for making toll payments directly from the prepaid or savings account linked to it or directly toll owner.

Several banks and wallet services like Paytm offer FASTags on their platforms, which is linked to users’ bank accounts.

On January 31, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) directed Paytm Payments Bank to stop on boarding new customers from February 29. The central bank later extended the deadline by 15n days – till March 15. It also clarified that customers using @paytm UPI handles can be migrated to banks post approval from National Payments Corporation of India or NPCI.

Paytm reached out to its customers, informing them that the business will remain afloat. The company said on Monday that Vijay Shekhar Sharma would step down as non-executive chairman and board member of its payments bank’s unit, as part of the overhauling process.

Meanwhile, Japan’s SoftBank Group sold a stake of 2.17 per cent in Paytm, an exchange filing showed on Thursday.