In a bid to enhance the efficiency and reliability of electronic toll collection, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has streamlined its policy to curb the misuse of ‘Loose FASTags’, also known as “tag-in-hand”.

Toll collecting agencies and concessionaires have been instructed to immediately report and blacklist such tags to prevent operational disruptions.

The directive comes as part of NHAI’s preparations for upcoming initiatives such as the Annual Pass System and Multi-Lane Free Flow (MLFF) tolling, where the authenticity and proper usage of FASTags are critical for system performance.

With a penetration rate of over 98 percent, FASTag has significantly modernised toll collection across the country, but the misuse of loose tags continues to present challenges.

These tags are often deliberately not fixed on vehicle windscreens, making them prone to misuse in closed-loop tolling systems.

Such practices can lead to lane congestion, fraudulent chargebacks, and overall inefficiencies at toll plazas, causing delays and inconvenience to other highway users.

To address the issue swiftly, NHAI has set up a dedicated email ID for toll agencies to report such cases.

Based on these reports, the authority will initiate immediate blacklisting or hotlisting of the offending FASTags.

By tightening enforcement and improving oversight, NHAI aims to ensure smoother toll operations and a more seamless travel experience for users of the National Highway network.

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