Get ready for a significant change on India’s National Highways! From November 15, 2025, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) is rolling out a brand new toll collection system. This update is designed to encourage more drivers to use digital payments, ease traffic jams at toll booths, and make toll operations more transparent.
Still No FASTag? Here’s How the New Penalty Works
Under this upcoming system, the old rule of paying double the toll for not having a valid FASTag is getting a much-needed revision. MoRTH is introducing a more flexible, tiered payment structure.
If you prefer to pay with cash, be aware that you will still incur double the standard toll charge. However, there’s good news for those who use digital payment options like UPI or other approved platforms but don’t have a FASTag: you will now pay 1.25 times the standard toll fee, a significant reduction from the current double penalty.
Currently, if your FASTag isn’t active—whether due to low balance, a technical issue, or simply not having one—you are charged double the standard toll. This new framework aims to rectify that.
Here’s a breakdown: FASTag users will continue to pay the regular base toll. Cash payers will still be charged double. But crucially, digital non-FASTag users will only pay 1.25 times the standard amount.
For instance, under the current rules, a ₹100 toll becomes ₹200 if your FASTag isn’t functional or absent. With the new system, if you don’t have a working FASTag, you can easily pay via UPI and will only be charged ₹125 for that same ₹100 toll, which includes a reasonable ₹25 penalty. This makes it much fairer for drivers embracing digital payments.
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