FASTag compliance: NHAI to blacklist ‘loose tag’ users; move aims to curb toll fraud and ease congestion

In a bid to improve toll plaza efficiency and prepare for upcoming digital tolling upgrades, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has announced a stricter policy for blacklisting users of ‘loose FASTags’—those not affixed to vehicle windscreens.The NHAI said the move is crucial to ensure the authenticity of FASTags and the integrity of the Electronic Toll Collection (ETC) system, especially ahead of the rollout of annual passes and multi-lane free flow (MLFF) tolling, PTI reported.“To ensure smooth tolling operations and strengthen reporting of ‘loose FASTags’, NHAI has further streamlined its policy for Toll Collecting Agencies and Concessionaires to immediately report and blacklist such tags, also commonly called tag-in-hand,” the agency said in a statement.It noted that some highway users intentionally keep FASTags detached from their vehicles, leading to operational issues including false chargebacks, misuse of closed-loop systems, congestion, and delays for compliant users.To enable swift corrective action, NHAI has provided a dedicated email ID for reporting such violations. “Based on the reports received, NHAI will take immediate action to initiate blacklisting or hotlisting of the reported FASTags,” it said.The measure is part of NHAI’s broader efforts to ensure system reliability and user convenience on national highways.