FASTag Row: Commuters Cry Harassment on Shimla-Chandigarh Highway, NHAI Says Rules Unchanged
SHIMLA/CHANDIGARH: The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) may have clarified the recent buzz over FASTag rules, but commuters on the Shimla-Chandigarh four-lane highway say toll plaza staff continue to harass them when scanners fail to read their FASTags—even when their accounts have sufficient balance.
Frustrated commuters allege that toll staff demand three times the actual fee, refusing to accept proof of adequate balance from apps like Kotak FASTag.
Instead, they rely solely on faulty scanners, leaving travelers no choice but to pay up or protest till they agree to accept manual payments.
Responding to the controversy, NHAI clarified that the recent circular (No. NPCI/2024-25/NETC/004A, dated January 28, 2025) issued by the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) doesn’t affect the FASTag customer experience.
The circular is meant to resolve disputes between Acquirer and Issuer Banks over FASTag status when vehicles cross toll plazas. It also aims to prevent harassment caused by late transactions.
NHAI stated that all national highway toll plazas now operate on the ICD 2.5 protocol, ensuring real-time tag status.
This allows users to recharge their FASTags any time before crossing the toll.
However, many state highway toll plazas still run on the older ICD 2.4 protocol, which requires regular updates to reflect tag status. Plans are underway to upgrade all toll plazas to ICD 2.5 shortly.
NHAI has urged FASTag users to link their wallets to UPI or bank accounts with auto-recharge settings to avoid manual top-ups. They can also recharge via UPI, net banking, and other platforms anytime before reaching the toll.
Despite the clarification, the ground reality for commuters on the Shimla-Chandigarh highway remains unchanged, with many demanding stricter oversight and accountability to prevent toll staff from exploiting technical glitches for extra charges.
They have urged the NHAI to direct the Toll Plazas to pay the tX manually till the changeover is complete.
