[Mustang Sammy]

Key updates (which are vague enough to be interpreted in god knows how many ways):

1. Inactive Tag Declines: Transactions presented on tags that have not been active for more than 60 minutes before reader read time and up to 10 minutes after reader read time will be declined with reason code 176, as per the NPCI circular.
Translation: ensure your tag is “active” in advance of the tollbooth. Don’t know how this is ensured other than by recharging it and/or ensuring it is not blacklisted.

2. Blacklisted Tag Penalty: If a FASTag is blacklisted upon reaching the toll, the user will be required to pay double the toll charges.
Keep sufficient balance that your tag never crosses the blacklisting threshold.

3. Delayed Transaction Charges: FASTag users may incur additional charges if toll transactions are processed more than 15 minutes after a vehicle passes the toll reader.
So now it is our fault if the transaction takes longer than 15 minutes to process, although it is not under our control.

4. Toll Operator Responsible for Loss: If a transaction is delayed due to insufficient balance and remains unpaid, the toll operator, not the user, will be responsible for the loss.
This seems to contradict the rule right above it.

As always, the onus is on us to ensure compliance

To avoid issues with the new FASTag rules, follow these steps

a) Maintain an adequate balance in your FASTag wallet.

b) Verify that your FASTag is active and not blacklisted.

c) Monitor transaction times to identify any delays in toll deductions.

d) Regularly check your FASTag status to avoid rejections due to inactivity.



Any help in interpreting these and other rules written in Sarkarese would be highly appreciated.

Link to article: https://www.livemint.com/money/perso...773302651.html

[Earthroamer]

And the ridiculousness with our bureaucracy continues.

What I can infer from the above rules, is we have to maintain minimum balances and treat our fastags as some savings bank accounts or the next step would be linking our fastags with our bank accounts so they can rob us in the name of some new rule.

[It's Magic]

I am not sure if I understand the use of the 10 minute window after the reader read time.

How will it help? I don't think the toll operator will let me pass if it shows a low balance or if the transaction is unsuccessful.

People just need to pay the toll for using the road; it was a simple requirement. I am not sure why we are making it more and more complicated.

[BullettuPaandi]

Originally Posted by Mustang Sammy

3. Delayed Transaction Charges: FASTag users may incur additional charges if toll transactions are processed more than 15 minutes after a vehicle passes the toll reader.
So now it is our fault if the transaction takes longer than 15 minutes to process, although it is not under our control.

4. Toll Operator Responsible for Loss: If a transaction is delayed due to insufficient balance and remains unpaid, the toll operator, not the user, will be responsible for the loss.
This seems to contradict the rule right above it.

I think the 4th rule is Sarkarese for 'the toll operator shouldn't let go of a user, until the amount gets credited with/without the 3rd rule applied'.

If a user didn't have enough balance, but it only turns out to be the case after 15 minutes, the Toll Operator will have to compensate. So, in practice, he/she would be incentivised to wait till the amount gets credited to allow the user to pass through. If it does within 15 minutes, it's 'lucky user'; if it took longer than 15 minutes, user gets charged extra for delay; if it doesn't get credited, I guess we're back to the operator graciously accepting cash for the compensation.

Disclaimer: I'm just guessing/decrypting. I've never even owned a car to have to deal with tolls.

I'm just wondering how many reported cases occurred for this to be included as a rule. How badly were/are we lacking in network and technology, for this system to work as advertised, which we seem to have adopted regardless?

Also as someone who has never had to use tolls, how does the user know/verify if the transaction went through? I suppose the bar lifting is automatic?

[KL20]

Clarification on New FASTag Rule

https://pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIfram...x?PRID=2104728

[rajeevsulu]

I think the whole idea is to ensure that there is no delay at the toll for whatever reason. As usual,they got the communication wrong and a clarification release has to be done.

Cheers

[sinhead]

Can someone explain rule 1, in this scenario -

If the card is not active, and the toll is 15 minutes away from my stating point or my residence.

If I rarely travel interstate, I would activate it or add balance before the journey starts.

Thanks!

[Geo_Ipe]

Originally Posted by KL20

Clarification on New FASTag Rule

https://pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIfram...x?PRID=2104728

Copying the clarifications from the website and posting here for lazy folks like myself!

Clarification on New FASTag Rule
Posted On: 19 FEB 2025 5:02PM by PIB Delhi
In reference to the news items carried by some publications regarding change of FASTag Rule declining transactions on FASTags which are not active for more than 60 minutes prior to read time and up to 10 minutes after read time, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) clarifies that the Circular No NPCI/2024-25/NETC/004A, dated 28.01.2025 issued by National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) has no impact on FASTag customer experience.

The Circular has been issued by NPCI to facilitate resolution of disputes between Acquirer Bank and Issuer Bank on FASTag status while vehicle crosses Toll Plazas. The Circular also aims to ensure that the FASTag transactions are created within reasonable time of vehicle passing a Toll Plaza so that customers are not harassed by late transactions.

All National Highway Toll Plazas operate on ICD 2.5 protocol which gives real-time tag status, hence the FASTag customers can recharge any time before crossing the Toll Plaza.

Some Toll plazas on State Highways are still on ICD 2.4 protocol which needs regular updates of Tag status. It is being planned to shift all such Toll plazas to ICD 2.5 protocol, shortly.

The FASTag customers are encouraged to link their FASTag wallet to UPI/Current/Saving Accounts under auto-recharge setting to eliminate the need for manual recharges. Customers can continue to recharge their FASTag any time before reaching the toll, using a variety of payment channels such as UPI, net banking, and more.

I'm not really sure what the whole idea behind all these updates are. What I've understood is - "Make sure you have balance in your Fastag account", which I think was quite obvious already.

[saket77]

I am not able to comprehend what changes after this notification?

[GeeTee TSI]

The circular confuses more than that it (aims to) clarify!
Bless the translations by the OP

Is there any way of knowing (or does this circular explain) why sms notifications about a fastag transaction are sent minutes or hours after the actual transaction?

[S1200]

Originally Posted by Earthroamer

And the ridiculousness with our bureaucracy continues.

What I can infer from the above rules, is we have to maintain minimum balances and treat our fastags as some savings bank accounts or the next step would be linking our fastags with our bank accounts so they can rob us in the name of some new rule.

"In line with Circular from NHAI, the mandate of keeping Minimum Wallet balance has been removed for Vehicle Class 4 tags i.e Car/Jeep/Van/Similar mini light commercial vehicles. So entire balance reflecting as wallet balance is usable." as stated by my fastag issuer i.e. Kotak Bank.

Car/Jeep/Van/Similar mini light commercial vehicles are categorised under Vehicle Class 4. So these are exempted from not using security balance, caveat this circular is still effective.

[Earthroamer]

Originally Posted by S1200

"In line with Circular from NHAI, the mandate of keeping Minimum Wallet balance has been removed for Vehicle Class 4 tags i.e Car/Jeep/Van/Similar mini light commercial vehicles. So entire balance reflecting as wallet balance is usable." as stated by my fastag issuer i.e. Kotak Bank.

Car/Jeep/Van/Similar mini light commercial vehicles are categorised under Vehicle Class 4. So these are exempted from not using security balance, caveat this circular is still effective.

Thanks for the info. I have 3 fastags (indusind, icici, sbi) for 3 different vehicles , all had an experience of getting balck listed , despite having the balance (around Rs150-Rs175) to go through the respective tolls. The unanimous answers I got from these 3 different toll employees were, my tags didn't have "minimum" balance. I was confused and had to recharge at the gates, causing inconvenience for everyone. Apparently, the aforementioned rules are supporting these aforementioned incidents.

[Tigguan]

I've kotak bank fastag and it is linked to my bank account.so it automatically recharges if balance goes below 500. I don't have to worry about fastag balance anymore.

[abhishekjoshi84]

Wanted to shed some more light on the changes because the language used in the circulars and media reporting/interpretation has been abysmal.

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

Basically as per current/old rule, if your Fastag is blacklisted/lowbalance, then transaction declines at toll plaza. You are then needed to recharge immediately to pass through.

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.

They have shared some examples too.

[turbo_delight]

Originally Posted by Earthroamer

And the ridiculousness with our bureaucracy continues.

What I can infer from the above rules, is we have to maintain minimum balances and treat our fastags as some savings bank accounts or the next step would be linking our fastags with our bank accounts so they can rob us in the name of some new rule.

Is Mr. Adani getting into fastag business now?
Govt only charges a very nominal fee of 2rs per km on highway.. if your car gives a mileage of 15 km, you pay only an extra of 30rs.. that sums to 110 + 30 rs = 140 rs per liter of petrol.. only..

MAGA + MIGA = MEGA