Kamal Ghorui
The Government of India has tightened rules around toll collection on national highways. Now, there’s a stricter system to deal with missed FASTag payments. Under the updated rules, a new term called “unpaid user fee” has been formally defined. This refers to a toll charge that remains unpaid even though a vehicle’s passage has been successfully recorded through electronic toll collection systems. The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has notified the National Highways Fee (Determination of Rates and Collection) (Second Amendment) Rules, 2026, which came into effect from March 17, 2026.
FASTag payment missed, pay double toll: Why it can happen
This situation can arise due to reasons such as insufficient FASTag balance, technical glitches, or camera-based systems recording a vehicle without a successful transaction.To recover such pending toll amounts, the government has introduced a technology-driven e-notice system. If a toll payment is missed, the registered vehicle owner will receive an electronic notice with details such as the vehicle number, date and location of travel, and the amount due. These notices will be sent through SMS, email, mobile apps, or made available on a designated online portal.
Pay original amount until 72 hours
One of the biggest changes is the penalty structure. If a user fails to pay the toll and does not respond within the stipulated time, the payable amount becomes twice the original toll fee. However, there is a relief window built into the system. If the pending amount is cleared within 72 hours of receiving the e-notice, the user will only need to pay the original toll amount without any penalty.The rules also include a provision for grievance redressal. If a vehicle owner believes that a notice has been issued incorrectly, they can raise a complaint through the official portal within 72 hours. Authorities are required to examine and resolve such cases within five days. If no action is taken within this period, the claim for the unpaid fee will automatically lapse.For cases where the dues remain unpaid beyond 15 days and no dispute is under review, the pending amount will be recorded in the VAHAN database. This could result in restrictions on vehicle-related services until the outstanding toll is cleared.
