Vehicles without Fastags will now be able to pass through toll plazas on national highways across the country. Keeping in mind the convenience of motorists, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) is introducing a new system for toll tax payments using UPI (Unified Payments Interface). This facility will be implemented at toll plazas across the country from November 15th. Under this new system, motorists will now be able to pay through UPI even if they don’t have a FASTag.
Read More- Say Goodbye to Cough and Cold with This Tasty Amla Honey Chutney
New Toll Tax Payment Facility with UPI
Until now, only cash payments were available at toll plazas, apart from Fastag. Cash payments were required to pay double the toll tax, which increased the financial burden on motorists. However, to ease this burden, NHAI has now introduced UPI payment. Under this new facility, motorists will be able to pay toll tax directly through their UPI apps (such as PhonePe, Google Pay, Paytm, etc.) by scanning the QR code at the toll booth.
Payments will be made at a rate of one and a quarter times the normal rate
Ahmedpur Toll Plaza Manager Ranjit Kumar Singh stated that under this system, which will begin on November 15th, the tax rate for UPI payments will be 1.25 times the normal amount. This will provide some relief to vehicle owners compared to cash payments, as they previously had to pay twice the amount.
QR Codes to be Installed at Toll Plaza
NHAI will install QR codes at every toll plaza. As soon as a vehicle arrives at the toll booth, the scanner installed there will identify the vehicle. If the vehicle does not have a Fastag, the driver will be prompted to scan the QR code. After scanning, the UPI app will display one and a quarter times the tax amount. Once the payment is complete, the system will sound an alert, indicating that the payment has been successful and the vehicle can cross the toll plaza.
Major Relief for Drivers
This new system brings relief, especially to drivers who, for some reason, have not been able to install a Fastag or whose Fastag is temporarily inactive. This will free travelers from the hassle of cash transactions and promote digital payments. It is also expected to reduce congestion at toll plazas and increase transaction transparency.