BIG Relief For Fastag Users: Govt Says 60-Minute Rule To Not...

New Delhi: The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has issued a clarification regarding reports suggesting changes in FASTag rules that could lead to transaction declines if the tag remains inactive for more than 60 minutes before or up to 10 minutes after the read time. Dismissing these claims, NHAI stated that the recent circular issued by the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) does not impact FASTag customers.

According to NHAI, the circular is meant to facilitate dispute resolution between Acquirer Banks and Issuer Banks regarding FASTag status when a vehicle crosses a toll plaza. It also aims to ensure that FASTag transactions occur within a reasonable time frame, preventing delays that could cause inconvenience to users.

The authority assured that all National Highway toll plazas operate on the ICD 2.5 protocol, which provides real-time tag status, allowing users to recharge their FASTag at any time before crossing the toll plaza. However, some toll plazas on State Highways still function on the older ICD 2.4 protocol, requiring periodic tag status updates. Efforts are underway to transition these plazas to the ICD 2.5 protocol soon.

To ensure seamless transactions, FASTag users are encouraged to link their wallets to UPI or their bank accounts with auto-recharge settings. Alternatively, users can continue to manually recharge their FASTag via UPI, net banking, and other payment methods before reaching the toll plaza.

NHAI reiterated that FASTag customers will not face any new restrictions and can continue using the system as before without disruption.