New Toll Rule to Take Effect from April 1: Cash Payments to Be Completely Stopped
Only FASTag and UPI will be accepted on national highways, marking a major shift toward digital travel
New Delhi: The way people travel on India’s highways is set to change significantly. In a major step toward making highway journeys fully digital, the government has announced that cash payments at toll plazas will be completely discontinued from April 1. Toll tax on all national highways across the country will now be payable only through FASTag or UPI.
The government believes that this move will not only make travel smoother but will also help save time, fuel, and money for commuters.
Secretary of the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, V. Umashankar, said that India is rapidly moving toward a digital economy. He noted that the UPI-based toll payment system, introduced earlier, received a positive response from the public. Building on that success, the government has now decided to completely ban cash payments at toll plazas. After April 1, only FASTag or UPI payments will be considered valid.
Cash Lanes to Be Eliminated at Toll Plazas
With this decision, cash lanes at toll plazas across the country will be shut down entirely. This is expected to provide relief from long queues caused by manual toll collection. According to the government, cashless tolling will make the system faster, more transparent, and more reliable. Despite having FASTags, many drivers still opted for cash lanes, especially during festivals and peak hours, leading to heavy traffic congestion.
Saving Fuel and Time
Frequent stopping at toll plazas leads to higher fuel consumption and increased driver fatigue. Umashankar explained that every stop-and-go at toll booths results in a waste of both time and diesel, a problem that becomes even more serious during long-distance travel. The cashless system is expected to significantly reduce these losses.
Preparation for Barrier-Free Tolling
This move toward cashless tolling is also seen as groundwork for a much larger future plan. The government is preparing to roll out the Multi-Lane Free Flow (MLFF) tolling system. Under this system, there will be no barriers at toll plazas, and vehicles will be able to pass through highways without stopping. Toll charges will be automatically deducted using FASTag and vehicle identification technology.
Pilot Project at 25 Toll Plazas
For the MLFF system’s pilot phase, the government has identified 25 toll plazas across the country. These locations will be used to test the new technology, rules, and overall user experience before nationwide implementation. Once rolled out fully, the system is expected to eliminate traffic jams, reduce travel time, and lower pollution levels.
The government has urged travelers to ensure that their FASTags are active and have sufficient balance before April 1, or to be prepared for UPI payments. This step toward cashless tolling and barrier-free highways is expected to completely transform road travel in India, making journeys smoother, faster, and more convenient in the coming years.
