The ministry of road transport and highways (MoRTH) on Friday dismissed reports suggesting that a satellite-based tolling system would be rolled out nationwide from 1 May 2025, replacing the current FASTag system.
Clarifying the speculation, the ministry said no such decision has been taken and that the public should not be misled by unverified claims in the media.
The MoRTH said that an automatic number plate recognition (ANPR)-FASTag-based barrier-less tolling system will be introduced at select locations in order to enhance seamless movement of vehicles and reduce congestion at toll plazas.
The upcoming system will use a hybrid approach, combining ANPR technology, which identifies vehicles by reading their number plates, with the existing FASTag system that relies on Radio-Frequency Identification (RFID) to deduct tolls.
With the new system, vehicles will be automatically charged based on identification through high-performance ANPR cameras and FASTag readers, eliminating the need to stop at toll plazas.
The ministry added that violators could face penalties. E-notices will be issued for non-compliance, and continued failure to pay may lead to FASTag suspension along with other VAHAN-related penalties, the statement warned.
The ministry reiterated that this tech-driven upgrade is being piloted only at select toll plazas for now and is not a blanket nationwide rollout.