New FASTag rules every highway user must know before traveling

New FASTag rules every highway user must know before traveling

Mangalore Today News Network

New Delhi, February 13, 2025: The toll collection system is undergoing a transition, as NPCI will be implementing the new FASTag rules, which come into effect starting February 17, 2025. The National Payment Corporation of India (NPCI) updated the guidelines for toll management with two notable changes regarding the validation of balance in a FASTag. Understanding these changes is crucial to avoid penalties and ensuring smooth passage through tolls.

 
Key changes in FASTag rules

The transaction system will deny the pass of any vehicle that has been blacklisted, put on hotline or marked as low balance for more than 60 minutes before reaching the toll booth.

Black listing can happen for reasons such as insufficient balance, pending KYC or mismatch in chassis number and vehicle registration as per RTO. The transaction will also be rejected if a FASTag status is inactive 10 minutes post-scanning at a toll plaza.
 
Error code 176 and penalty charges

The system will deny the transaction with the error code 176 if the conditions mentioned above are met for any FASTag. A double toll fee will be charged for the vehicle as per government regulations.

The new FASTag rule is a step forward towards the development of toll booths in India as it would promote active and valid FASTags to pass through, preventing congestion at tolls. Smooth money transactions through a digital toll collection system. The management of FASTag requires vehicle owners to stay updated and take approaching steps to avoid penalty fees by maintaining sufficient balance and updating KYC details to ensure safe travel all around India.
 
Lifetime highway pass in consideration

Vehicle owners who rely on FASTag have to periodically recharge their FASTag accounts in order to go through the toll every time they travel. To ensure smooth travel, the government plans to launch the lifetime highway pass which would allow commuters to access the highways for 15 years with a one-time payment of Rs 30,000 and an annual pass for Rp 3,000 for short-term users. The lifetime highway pass comes with the vision to eliminate this hassle, which will ensure smoother travel by allowing users to make a one-time payment instead of multiple toll transactions over the years.