[BullettuPaandi]

Originally Posted by abhishekjoshi84

https://www.npci.org.in/PDF/npci/net...-exception.pdf

This is what has led to the misunderstanding in articles, and is summarised in the Original Post. The clarification (refer post #5 or #8) addresses this exact addendum- 004A dated 28/01/2025.

Basically, by "All members of NETC" in the 'To', NPCI meant all those are in the NETC network. In other words 'not us, the users of NETC'. So, this rule has no impact on user experience (as per the clarification).

Originally Posted by abhishekjoshi84

As per new rule, if your fastag was blacklisted more than an hour before reaching a toll (reader time) and is removed from blacklist in the 60 minutes preceding the toll OR 10 minutes after crossing the toll, the transaction will succeed. Meaning of your fastag was blacklisted but you recharged it say 15 minutes before reaching the toll, or even recharged it 5 minutes after passing the toll then transaction will be successfull. You won't need to stop at the toll. But if not recharged within this window, then transaction will decline and double the toll amount will show up as pending amount (which I am assuming, will be deducted on your next recharge). Next time you pass a toll, your tag would still be blacklisted and your transaction will decline with code 176.

If I understood the changes correctly, you get to pass through the toll even if your tag is blacklisted but you then need to recharge it immediately(within next 10 minutes) to avoid the penalty and txn decline at next toll.

I think you are mistaken; the new rule seems to state the opposite. But correct me if I'm wrong here. I'm just a fellow Cryptologist who is interested in this Neo-Harappan script.

Transaction from tags that are only recently activated (within an hour before reading), and those that don't stay activated for at least 10 minutes after reading, will be declined. In other words, a Tag must be 'active'- or out of the blacklist- for at least an hour before a reading, and at least for 10 minutes after said reading, for the transaction to be accepted. Quoting from the link you've shared (the NPCI's confusing circular):

Transactions presented on tags which are not active for more than 60 minutes prior to reader read time and up to 10 minutes after reader read time shall be declined with reason code 176.

'For' being the key-word here; what you mention would apply if it were 'within' instead.

I don't know about the different reasons a Tag may get deactivated/ blacklisted/ hot listed etc. but if it is just about maintaining minimum balance, to not get into trouble simply means to maintain minimum balance on the account, at all times.

Going by the quoted rule (and by what I managed to make of it), if you have more than enough balance for the first toll; but after that debit, the balance goes below minimum balance; and if not recharged within 10 minutes, the Tag may/will (depending on how your bank updates the status, I suppose) be blacklisted, and the transaction may/will get declined- i.e. your bank (Issuer) will refuse to transfer the amount to the Acquirer. Whether it'll just show as pending amount, or will there be a penalty (double the amount) is unclear. As, I can't find the 16/10/2024 circular they are referring to in both NPCI and NEFT pages (if you do, kindly share). And of course not taking what news articles mention about this, as that's part of how we ended up in this confusion.

So basically, if your road trip or monthly commute costs roughly 5k on tolls, begin with a 7k+ balance (with a little buffer), and top up after the road trip or end of month accordingly.

[abhishekjoshi84]

Originally Posted by BullettuPaandi

Transaction from tags that are only recently activated (within an hour before reading), and those that don't stay activated for at least 10 minutes after reading, will be declined. In other words, a Tag must be 'active'- or out of the blacklist- for at least an hour before a reading, and at least for 10 minutes after said reading, for the transaction to be accepted.

What the circular I linked say - "Transactions presented on tags which are not active for more than 60 minutes prior to reader read time and up to 10 minutes after reader read time shall be declined" . If a tag is removed from blacklist, then it becomes active. If a tag was active any time during that 70 minute window, it would mean that the tag will not pass the test of "not active for more than 60 minutes prior to reader read time and up to 10 minutes after reader read time" condition.

Please check the examples they shared in circular which I linked in my post (I also added screenshot of the same). They had given examples to show exactly the same thing.

Explaining/summarising the examples shared in the circular.

Ex. 1: Tag blacklisted more than 60 minutes(70 minutes in the example) before crossing the toll. Transaction declined. In this example the blacklisted tag was NOT removed from blacklist during the 70 minute window.

Ex. 2: Tag blacklisted more than 60 minutes (70 mins in the example) before crossing the toll, but removed from blacklist within last 60 minutes (40 mins in the example) before of crossing the toll, transaction will pass.

Ex. 3: Tag blacklisted more than 60 minutes before crossing the toll(67 minutes in the example), and recharged within 10 minutes of reaching the toll (7 minutes in the example), transaction will pass.

[BullettuPaandi]

Originally Posted by BullettuPaandi

'For' being the key-word here; what you mention would apply if it were 'within' instead.

Originally Posted by abhishekjoshi84

If a tag was active any time during that 70 minute window, it would mean that the tag will not pass the test of "not active for more than 60 minutes prior to reader read time and up to 10 minutes after reader read time" condition.

Thanks for explaining! Only this explains the illustration.

But, should the wording not have been 'within' or 'between', instead of 'for'? 'For' implies that the Tag should remain active throughout that period. I think, they should've phrased it as such:

Transactions presented on tags which are not active within/between 60 minutes prior to reader read time and up to 10 minutes after reader read time shall be declined with reason code 176.

Reading the statement, as they've phrased, still doesn't make sense for what they're trying to convey with the illustration, which admittedly I didn't look into earlier, having gotten mislead.

[sukhbirST]

I spoke to a tool booth operator (office bearer). He mentioned that, now you have to have sufficient balance at all times. People were keeping low balance and then recharging at gates, thereby wasting time of others.
Another important aspect is that earlier if you happened to cross second time (not return) within 24 hrs, you paid half. Now it has to be return to get 50% discount and same route multiple times you pay full. This has already been implemented, and I had stopped to enquire as, I was being charged full.

[abhishekjoshi84]

Originally Posted by BullettuPaandi

Reading the statement, as they've phrased, still doesn't make sense for what they're trying to convey with the illustration

If only beurocracy and legislature could use language which is not ambiguous and archaic, the number of civil court cases would reduce significantly.

You can't imagine the number of cases in courts because of misuse of comma/Oxford comma in the legislature/circulars/court judgements.

[BalaSNKL]

Has NPCI launched what is called Know Your Vehicle (KYV) that requires uploading pictures of the registration card (front & back) and photos of the vehicle (front with number plate, side with axles and FasTAG)?

My IDFC FasTAG app says this is mandatory and pending for my car. There is no mention as to when this is mandatory. We may all get a nasty surprise one fine day when we are at a toll booth.

[GTX+]

Originally Posted by BullettuPaandi

I don't know about the different reasons a Tag may get deactivated/ blacklisted/ hot listed etc.

Blacklisted - Insufficient balance, KYV non compliance etc.
Hot listed - VRN information not updated by issuer bank
Deactivated - If a tag remains hot listed for more than 30 days

Originally Posted by BalaSNKL

Has NPCI launched what is called Know Your Vehicle (KYV) that requires uploading pictures of the registration card (front & back) and photos of the vehicle (front with number plate, side with axles and FasTAG)?

My IDFC FasTAG app says this is mandatory and pending for my car. There is no mention as to when this is mandatory. We may all get a nasty surprise one fine day when we are at a toll booth.

As per this circular, it was mandatory to collect the RC/VRN/pictures etc. for tags issued post notification of the circular while or tags issued earlier, the issuer bank had time till 31st Oct 2024 to reach out to customers and do the needful. Refer to the annexures.

Am not sure if this timeline was extended as could not find any relevant circular.

[saket77]

My car's RC was uploaded when I got the PayTM and later HDFC fastag after the PayTM fiasco. I don't think I ever uploaded the pictures of my cars as required for KYV. Also in the HDFC portal, I am unable to upload any picture but the fastags are active. Do I need to upload the picture of my cars? If yes, where can I upload it?

Thanks.

[gopa99]

I wonder why the often painful reversing rule is not implemented. It’s both a risk to life and property to see blacklisted vehicles reversing in busy traffic. I hope somebody pushes this point to a safe conclusion.

[Mustang Sammy]

Jokers like this guy (with a “Government of India” sticker no less) are the reason there should be hefty penalties for people driving up to toll booths with blacklisted tags or insufficient balance.
He had created a long queue of vehicles behind him as the tollbooth staff tried to figure out a way to get him going.

[mayukh42]

Originally Posted by Mustang Sammy

Jokers like this... had created a long queue of vehicles behind him as the tollbooth staff tried to figure out a way to get him going.

OT] This is a prevalent problem that has not been resolved even with FastTag. We often see people providing I-Cards to the toll operator, who takes some time to approve whether the said card is in exception list, causing a 3-5 mins delay that increases with more vehicles in queue.

If the aim of FastTag is to remove the delay while paying the toll, why have exceptions at all? Isn't it better to charge every vehicle, then whoever is entitled to exception, can be reimbursed as an expense by the government, like the expense claim in companies?

Or we could have special colored FastTags issued by the Government to its employees, and the scanner lets them through without charging. Just like normal FastTags, one tag is valid for one car only, etc.

[abhishekjoshi84]

Originally Posted by mayukh42

OT]
Or we could have special colored FastTags issued by the Government to its employees,

For national highways there is already an exempted Fastag available.


https://exemptedfastag.nhai.org/Exemptedfastag/

Exempted vehicles can apply for it and affix to their cars and their passage through the toll will be approved without a need to checking any ID.

The problem is that the direction that vehicles which are exempted will be allowed to pass without paying toll ONLY IF they have this exempted Fastag is not yet implemented. This defeats the purpose of such exempted fastags.

[It's Magic]

Originally Posted by Mustang Sammy

He had created a long queue of vehicles behind him as the tollbooth staff tried to figure out a way to get him going.

Sometimes, it could be an issue with the Fastag itself. I had a problem with my Fastag where it would only be scanned through a handheld device. Upon reaching the toll, I had to request the operator to scan it using a handheld device. According to one toll operator, it’s an issue with many cars where they have to scan using a handheld device. I made multiple calls to customer care but never received a solution.

I also tried checking the possibility of banks having dummy scanners so that they can personally check for Fastag issues by scanning them.

[Dinesh_Malhotra]

Originally Posted by abhishekjoshi84

For national highways there is already an exempted Fastag available.

https://exemptedfastag.nhai.org/Exemptedfastag/

This website is coming across as a fake one. What do you think?

[abhishekjoshi84]

Originally Posted by Dinesh_Malhotra

This website is coming across as a fake one. What do you think?

That is "most probably" the correct website. You can check the main ministry of road transportation and highways website linking to that one here:

https://morth.nic.in/exempted-fastag

Certificate and ICANN info on the nhai.org website both are showing NHAI as the owner.