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Company type | Electronic toll collection Fuel purchase payment Parking fees [1] National Park Entry Fees [2] |
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Founded | 4 November 2014 |
Headquarters | , India |
Area served | Pan-India |
Products | RFID Tags |
Owner | Indian Highways Management Company Limited |
Parent | Ministry of Road Transport and Highways |
Website | nhai |
FASTag is an electronic toll collection system in India, operated by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI). [3] [4] It employs Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology for making toll payments directly from the prepaid or savings account linked to it or directly toll owner. It is affixed on the windscreen of the vehicle and enables one to drive through toll plazas without stopping for transactions. The tag can be purchased from official Tag issuers or participating Banks [5] which are Made in India and if it is linked to a prepaid account, then recharging or top-up can be as per requirement. [6] The minimum recharge amount is ₹ 100 and can be done online. [7] As per NHAI, FASTag has unlimited validity. 7.5% cashback offers were also provided to promote the use of FASTag. Dedicated Lanes at some Toll plazas have been built for FASTag.
In January 2019, state-run oil marketing companies IOC, BPCL and HPCL have signed MoUs enabling the use of FASTag to make purchases at petrol pumps. [8]
As of September 2019, FASTag lanes are available on over 500 national and state highways and over 54.6 lakh (5.46 million) cars are enabled with FASTag. [9] Starting 1 January 2021, FASTag was to be mandatory for all vehicles but later the date was postponed to 15 February 2021. [10] FASTag transactions were valued at ₹5,559.91 crore in January 2024 with 33.138 crore in volume terms. [11]
The Indian government has launched 15 August 2025 [ timeframe? ] a new toll policy that introduced a FASTag Annual Pass, allowing private vehicle owners to travel unlimited distances on national highways and expressways for one year or 200 trips (toll crossings) whichever is earlier by one-time payment of ₹3,000. This initiative aims to simplify toll payments and reduce congestion at toll plazas by eliminating the need for frequent recharges and individual toll deductions.
Under the dual-payment system, vehicle owners would have the option to choose between:
The new system would utilize the existing FASTag infrastructure, requiring no additional documents or installations. Notably, the government has shelved an earlier proposal that suggested a lifetime FASTag costing ₹30,000 for 15 years.
To further enhance the toll collection process, the policy also aims to eliminate physical toll booths, replacing them with sensor-based digital toll collection systems that rely on GPS and automated vehicle tracking for toll deductions. This move is expected to ensure barrier-free travel and reduce travel time for commuters.
To address concerns from contractors and toll operators, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways plans to compensate them based on digital toll data and a government-approved formula. Additionally, banks may be granted more authority to prevent toll evasion, including enforcing minimum balance requirements on FASTag-linked accounts.
If implemented, this policy could significantly ease congestion, reduce travel time, and lower the cost of long-distance road travel for regular commuters.[ citation needed ]
Toll Gate Payment collection status [2017-2022] [35] [36] | |||
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Period | Toll Gate Payment collection status Total(Cr.) | Fastag Method collection (Cr.) | |
2016-17 | 17942.14 | 871 | |
2017-18 | 21948.13 | 3532 | |
2018-19 | 24396.20 | 5956 | |
2019-20 | 26850.71 | 10957 | |
2020-21 | 27744.15 | 25291 | |
2021-22 | 34535 | 33274 |