FASTAG: If you also travel on the highway and are troubled by the hassle of FASTag, then this news is for you. From March 1, 2025, the FASTag system is going to end and a new way of paying toll tax is going to be implemented. The government is bringing an automatic toll deduction system, which will make the journey even easier. Let us know how the new system will work, what benefits will you get from it and what things are important to keep in mind.

The journey of FASTag - why is it being discontinued?

FASTag was introduced in India in 2016 to provide relief from long jams at toll plazas and promote digital payments. But in the last few years, many problems have come to the fore:

FASTag is not scanned at many places, due to which vehicles stop.

Some people started using duplicate or fake FASTag.

Many FASTag users were overcharged without any reason.

Vehicles that did not have balance were stopped at the toll plaza, which increased the traffic.

To overcome all these problems, the government is now working on a new toll collection system, which will be more smart and convenient.

How will toll tax be deducted from March 1, 2025?

The government is implementing the "Automatic Number Plate Recognition System" (ANPR). In this technology, the toll will be automatically deducted by scanning the number plate of the vehicle. That is, now neither any tag will be needed nor the hassle of checking the balance.

How will this system work?

Scanning with camera - High-resolution cameras will be installed at the toll plaza, which will scan the number plate of your vehicle.

Matching with the database - Your vehicle number will be linked to the government database, which will tell in whose name this vehicle is registered.

Automatic payment - The toll amount will be automatically deducted from your bank account, mobile wallet, or linked UPI.

Fast entry-exit – You will be able to cross the toll easily without stopping.

This system is already implemented in many countries of Europe and America and now India is also going to adopt it.

Benefits of the new toll system

Travel without stopping – Now there will be no need to stand in long queues at the toll plaza.

Protection from fraud – No one will be able to use fake or duplicate FASTag.

Accurate payment – ​​The more you travel, the more toll will be deducted, no additional charge.

Cashless and paperless system – Everything will be digital, which will maintain transparency.

Less pollution – The jam caused by stopping at the toll and the pollution caused by the start-stop of vehicles will be reduced.

Do you have to do anything new?

No, the government will automatically link this system to your vehicle registration number. However, you have to keep these things in mind:

Your vehicle's number plate should be a high-security registration plate (HSRP).

Your bank account or UPI ID should be linked with the vehicle, so that payment can be made.

If the number plate of your vehicle is old, then you may have to change it.

What if your account balance is low?

Many people will have this question in their mind that what will happen if there is no money in the account? For this, the government can bring some special rules:

Only an alert will be sent for the first time when the balance is low.

A warning will be given for the second time and some time will be given to make the payment.

Those who repeatedly do not pay will be fined or their vehicles can be blacklisted.

Real life example – how will your journey change?

Case Study 1: Amit's journey

Amit travels from Delhi to Gurugram daily and has to stop at the toll plaza for 5-10 minutes every day. Many times, due to FASTag not being scanned, he has to pay cash or an extra charge is deducted.

But after March 2025, when the new ANPR system will be implemented, they will get the benefit of crossing the toll without stopping and no extra charge will be deducted.

Case Study 2: Seema's troubles end

Seema often got stuck at the toll due to the FASTag balance running out. Many times there was also a problem in making payment due to not getting OTP.

But now, with the new number plate scanning system, Seema will not have to worry about any FASTag balance, and the payment will be done directly from the account.

What other changes can come in the future?

The government is constantly trying to improve this system. Some possible changes can be:

GPS based tolling system - that is, the toll will be deducted only according to the distance of your journey.

Expansion of electronic tolling - In the coming time, toll collection can be done in this way even inside the cities.

Fast and smart road system - so that the traffic can be even smoother.

Is this change beneficial for you?

From March 1, 2025, the FASTag system is ending and the new ANPR based tolling system is coming.

This system will not only reduce traffic problems but will also give people a smart and cashless travel experience.

If your vehicle's number plate is not HSRP, then get it updated as soon as possible.

Link the bank account to the vehicle number so that there is no problem in toll payment.

The new system is a big step towards making Indian highways more modern and smart.