The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has asked FASTag issuer banks to immediately validate vehicle registration numbers (VRNs) linked to FASTags to improve data accuracy and plug potential revenue leakages in the electronic toll collection system.
The move comes following complaints of mismatches between VRNs captured by FASTag readers and the actual registration numbers displayed on vehicle number plates, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways said on Wednesday.
Such discrepancies have the potential to undermine enforcement mechanisms and may lead to revenue evasion and also attract other penal provisions under the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, it added.
According to the ministry, a considerable number of mismatches have been traced to FASTags issued before integration with the VAHAN database, when verification processes were largely manual and less robust.
NHAI said correct mapping of VRNs with FASTags is crucial, particularly in the context of upcoming technology-driven tolling systems such as Multi-Lane Free Flow (MLFF).
Under the MLFF system, enforcement actions, including issuance of electronic notices to violators, will rely heavily on precise and verified vehicle identification data.
“In this context, all FASTag issuer banks have been directed to undertake urgent verification of FASTags issued by them and to blacklist those FASTags that are found to be linked with incorrect or invalid VRNs, in accordance with established Government guidelines,” the ministry said.
The government said that the ongoing efforts to improve data integrity, prevent misuse of FASTag and will further enhance user experience on national highways across the country.