Overview
- MoRTH and NHAI say they are considering ending cash payments at National Highway toll plazas from April 1, 2026, shifting all collections to FASTag or UPI if approved.
- More than 1,150 fee plazas would be covered, with plaza reviews finding cash transactions drive peak-hour queues, delays and disputes.
- FASTag now accounts for roughly 98% of toll collections and UPI is operational at plazas nationwide, with NHAI citing steep drops in average wait times after electronic tolling.
- Under current rules, drivers paying cash without a valid FASTag are charged twice the toll, while UPI payments incur 1.25 times the base fee.
- Authorities are conducting readiness assessments and consultations, while related efforts include barrier-less tolling RFPs at select plazas and plans to enable cashless handling of overloading penalties.