The National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) and the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways have introduced important changes in the FASTag ecosystem, implementing stricter penalties, and rules aimed at improving the toll payment system. These new guidelines, effective from Monday, focus on streamlining transactions, reducing disputes, and curbing fraud within the system.
According to a recent media report, if the FASTag remains unactivated for over 60 minutes before passing the toll and 10 minutes after passing the toll, will result in a decline in the transaction with ‘error code 176’.
In addition, users may face extra charges if the transaction process takes longer than 15 minutes.
According to the updated guidelines from the National Electronic Toll Collection (NETC), the toll operator will be held accountable in case there occurs a delay in the transaction or the user’s FASTag account has insufficient funds. However, if the amount is deducted despite the insufficient balance, users can dispute the charge, but only after a mandatory 15-day cooling-off period.
To avoid issues, users should ensure their FASTag wallet has sufficient balance before travelling, monitor transaction times for delays in deductions, and stay updated on their FASTag status to prevent rejections due to inactivity.
The NPCI circular, released on January 28, stated that the validation of FASTag balances will now follow a stricter schedule. In the past, users could recharge their FASTag at the toll booth and still pass through, but now it’s essential to verify FASTag status in advance.
According to the latest data from NPCI, FASTag transactions increased by 6% in December last year, reaching 382 million, compared to 359 million in November.
The transaction value also saw a 9% rise, reaching Rs 6,642 crore in December, up from Rs 6,070 crore in November.
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