FASTag penalty alert: New rules enforce higher toll for inactive tags
Toll gates are now common on national highways across the country. To reduce cash transactions at tolls, the government introduced the FASTag system. The National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) has recently introduced new rules regarding these transactions.
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Having a FASTag is mandatory for traveling on toll roads. This system was introduced to prevent traffic congestion. The National Payments Corporation of India has recently updated its FASTag regulations. Under the new rules, FASTag users will have to pay double the toll fee if they make this mistake.
A '70-minute' window has been set for blacklisted FASTag users. This new rule will come into effect from February 17th. A FASTag is typically blacklisted if it has insufficient balance, making it inactive. If the vehicle arrives at the toll plaza and the FASTag has been inactive for more than an hour, it will show a '176 error' and reject the transaction.
In such cases, drivers will have to pay double the toll fee as a penalty. A FASTag can be blacklisted not only for insufficient balance but also for incomplete KYC, or a mismatch between the chassis and vehicle numbers. Ensure your FASTag has sufficient balance 70 minutes before reaching the toll gate.
Those who recharge their FASTag at the last minute will face difficulties due to this rule. If the FASTag remains blacklisted even 10 minutes after the toll read, the transaction will be rejected. Authorities advise maintaining a minimum balance and completing any pending KYC before commencing travel.
