October 5, 2025

The Ministry of Road Transport & Highways has cooked up a spicy new rule to push all drivers towards digital toll payments! Starting November 15, 2025, if your vehicle zooms through a toll plaza without a valid and working FASTag, brace yourself for extra charges. The new rule, part of the Third Amendment Rules, 2025, says you'll pay 1.25 times the toll fee if you choose to pay by UPI (Unified Payments Interface). But if you stick to the old school way and pay cash, get ready to shell out twice the usual toll fee. Yes, double the money just to pay in cash! For example, if the normal toll is Rs 100 for your vehicle, paying by UPI will cost Rs 125, but paying cash will burn a Rs 200 hole in your pocket. The government thinks this digital push will make toll payments quicker, smoother, and more transparent on our highways. What exactly is FASTag? It's a small sticker with RFID tech stuck on your car's windscreen, linked to your bank or prepaid account. When you hit the toll, it deducts money automatically—no stopping, no scrambling for change. You can buy FASTags from many banks, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), or popular apps like Paytm and Amazon. After buying, you recharge the tag as needed. The Ministry made FASTag mandatory for all four-wheelers and bigger vehicles from January 1, 2021. This little tag brings big benefits: no waiting in lines, no cash hassles, faster journeys, less fuel wasted, plus online recharges and SMS alerts keep you updated. FASTag works on all National Highway toll plazas and some state highways too—just check your bank's list to be sure. So, from late 2025, the message is clear: FASTag or pay more. Digital payments are the future on our roads, saving time and money for those who switch. Will you join the digital fast lane or pay the price?

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Tags: Fastag, Toll payment, Digital payments, Upi, Cash penalty, National highways,