FASTag Toll Payment: A major change is coming for those traveling on the country’s national highways from April 1. The government has taken an important step toward making highway travel completely digital. Cash payments at toll plazas will now be discontinued. In the near future, toll tax will only be payable through FASTag or UPI. The government believes that this will not only make travel easier but also save time, fuel, and money.
Complete Ban on Cash Payments
In an interview with a media platform, V. Umashankar, Secretary of the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, stated that India is rapidly moving toward a digital economy. UPI payment facilities were first introduced at toll plazas, which were widely appreciated by the public. Now, the government has decided that from April 1, cash payments at toll plazas will be completely discontinued. From that day onward, only FASTag and UPI will be accepted.
Cash Lanes will be Removed from Toll Plazas
Once this decision is implemented, cash lanes at toll plazas across the country will be completely removed. This will help reduce long queues caused by manual toll collection. Until now, many people used cash lanes even though they had FASTag, leading to traffic jams during festivals and peak hours. Cashless tolling will make the system faster, more transparent, and more reliable.
Both Time and Fuel will be Saved
Stopping repeatedly at toll plazas and then moving the vehicle forward consumes more fuel. Drivers also face inconvenience due to frequent braking. According to V. Umashankar, each stop leads to a waste of both time and diesel, which increases further on long-distance journeys. The cashless system will significantly reduce this loss.
Next Step Towards Barrier Free Tolling
This government decision is also a preparation for a major change to be implemented in the near future. Soon, the Multi-Lane Free Flow (MLFF) tolling system will be introduced in the country. In this system, there will be no barriers at toll plazas, and vehicles will pass through without stopping. Toll charges will be automatically deducted via FASTag and the vehicle identification system.
Pilot Project to be Launched at 25 Toll Plazas
Before implementing the MLFF tolling system, the government has selected 25 toll plazas across the country for a pilot project. The new technology will be tested here, and travelers’ experiences will be studied. After this, the plan is to roll it out nationwide. This will eliminate traffic jams, reduce travel time, and also lower pollution.
Government’s Appeal to Travelers
The government has appealed to all travelers to ensure their FASTag is active and has sufficient balance before April 1. Travelers are also advised to be ready to make payments via UPI. This move toward cashless tolling and barrier-free highways is set to completely transform the road travel experience in India. In the near future, there will be no traffic jams at toll plazas, and journeys will be faster and far more comfortable than before.
