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To ensure smooth operations at toll plazas and strengthen the reporting of loose Fastag or tag-in-hand, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has further streamlined its policy. So that toll collecting agencies can immediately report about such a Fastag, and it can be blacklisted.

The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways said in a statement that in view of upcoming initiatives like Annual Pass System and Multi-Lane Free Flow (MLFF) toll, it is important to resolve this issue to ensure the authenticity of Fastag and reliability of the system. Sometimes, vehicle owners deliberately do not put a FASTag on the windscreen of the vehicle.

What did the ministry say?

The ministry has said that such practice creates operational challenges, leading to congestion in the lane, incorrect fee refunds and misuse of the toll system based on distance. This causes overall disruption in the electronic toll collection system, resulting in unnecessary delays at the toll plaza and inconvenience to other users.

To ensure timely corrective measures, NHAI has provided a dedicated email ID and directed toll collection agencies to report such FASTags immediately. Based on the reports received, NHAI will take immediate action to blacklist or hotlist the reported FASTags.

It is worth noting that with an adoption rate of over 98 per cent, FASTag has revolutionised the electronic toll collection system in the country. Loose FASTags or tags-in-hand pose a challenge for electronic toll collection. NHAI said, "This initiative will help make toll operations more efficient, ensuring seamless and comfortable travel for national highway users."

Toll reduction up to 50%
Earlier this month, the government reduced toll rates by up to 50 per cent on some stretches of national highways, including tunnels, bridges, flyovers and elevated roads. The move is aimed at reducing travel costs and making road travel more affordable for the public. The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has amended the National Highways Fee Rules, 2008, and notified a new formula for calculation of toll fees.

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