The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways is preparing a new rule that brings a significant warning for vehicle owners. Under this proposed rule, if a vehicle has outstanding toll tax, its Registration Certificate (RC), insurance renewal, fitness certificate, ownership transfer, or No Objection Certificate (NOC) will not be issued. The ministry has issued a draft notification to amend the motor vehicle rules for this purpose.
No Government Approval Without Paying Tolls
The draft issued by the ministry clearly states that if the FASTag-related data of a vehicle shows outstanding toll charges, the owner of such a vehicle will not be granted the necessary approvals for RC renewal, insurance renewal, or other documents. This decision will also apply if the vehicle does not have a valid FASTag or if payment was not made at the toll point.
This rule will affect vehicle owners across the country who periodically avoid paying tolls or do not use FASTag properly.
NHAI's MLFF System to be Strengthened
This new rule will also strengthen the central government's digital roadmap, under which the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) is implementing the Multi-Lane Free Flow (MLFF) toll collection system. Under this system, there will be no physical barriers for toll collection. This means that vehicles will not be stopped at toll booths for payment; instead, the toll will be calculated and paid automatically through cameras and sensors.
For MLFF to be successful, it is essential that every vehicle has a valid FASTag and pays the toll on time. To ensure this, the government is now preparing to link approvals related to motor vehicle services directly to toll payments.
Outstanding Toll Information to be Available Online
Under the ministry's plan, vehicle owners will be able to view their outstanding toll information through an online portal or mobile app. Based on the data associated with FASTag, toll payment information will be directly available in the system of the concerned registration authority. If any dues are found, the same system will issue an alert, and any type of approval can be withheld.
Most importantly, the vehicle owner will be allowed to proceed further only after paying the outstanding amount. This means that paying tolls will now be necessary to maintain the validity of documents.
Insurance Companies to Receive Updated Data
The Ministry of Road Transport also plans to integrate insurance companies with the FASTag system. This will allow them to know at the time of policy renewal whether the vehicle in question has outstanding tolls. In such cases, insurance renewal will only be possible if the vehicle's toll is cleared.
Insurance sector experts believe that this will bring transparency to vehicle monitoring and the claims process, as toll payments will automatically provide information about the vehicle's movement and travel history.
Government's Major Step to Prevent Toll Evasion
Until now, a large number of vehicle owners across the country deliberately keep their FASTags inactive or travel on toll routes without making payments. This causes the government to lose thousands of crores of rupees every year. With the implementation of this rule, such vehicle owners will be directly affected, and the scope for toll evasion will be greatly reduced.
Millions of vehicles pass through national highways every day, a significant number of which still avoid paying tolls or deliberately block their FASTags and pass through. The aim of the ministry's new draft rule is to prevent those who do not pay tolls from receiving other vehicle-related services.
Strictness on Vehicles Without Valid FASTag
The draft rules also state that if a vehicle is found without a valid FASTag, it will also be placed in the category of outstanding tolls. This means that not only toll payment but also getting a FASTag may now become a legal obligation. This will ensure that every vehicle is under surveillance on the highway.
The government has seen a multi-fold increase in toll collection through FASTag so far, but strictness associated with it is now considered necessary for its complete success.
