If you were to encounter a toll plaza which does not have a working scanner, or if the same is malfunctioning and is not able to deduct the toll from the FASTag RFID tag on your vehicle, you are allowed to pass through that particular toll without paying anything. Yes, it’s true. This rule has been specified in The National Highway Fee Determination of Rates and Collection Amendment Rule 2018. Issued by National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) under G.S.R. 427(E) states that-
“Provided also that if a vehicle user with a valid, functional FASTag or any such device with sufficient balance in the linked account crossing a fee plaza installed with Electronic Toll Collection infrastructure, is not able to pay user fee through FASTag or any such device owing to malfunctioning of Electronic Toll Collection infrastructure, the vehicle user shall be permitted to pass the fee plaza without payment of any user fee. An appropriate zero transaction receipt shall be issued mandatorily for all such transactions”.
Government of India has mandated the use of FASTag RFID tags on vehicles for electronic toll collection on toll plazas from 15th January 2020. All the lanes at NHAI toll plazas have been converted to FASTag lanes except for one which is a hybrid lane where one can either pay the toll through the FASTag of any other mode. However, passing through a FASTag lane without the RFID tag will warrant double to toll amount after the aforementioned date.
Also Read- Explained: RFID technology and what role does it play in FASTag
The FASTag works on the principle of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) wherein a scanner positioned at the toll plaza which scans the tag placed on the vehicle. This tag is linked to a pre-paid account. And hence, the funds are detected automatically. The use of FASTag negates the requirement of cash transactions. It is aimed at reducing the time spent at a toll plaza and hence also prevent long queues.
