One small mistake on your part at the toll plaza, and you may face double fine

News India Live, Digital Desk: If you travel on the highway in your car, then FASTag has become an important part of your life. We all know the relief of getting rid of long queues and passing the vehicle without stopping at the toll. But do you know that even a small carelessness or mistake can cost you dearly? Yes, you may have to pay double toll tax.

Many people know this rule, but often ignore it, and then they have arguments at the toll plaza. So let us understand this rule well today so that next time you can avoid this problem.

What is this rule of ‘double toll’?

The rules of National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) are very simple and clear. If you enter the FASTag lane of the toll plaza with your vehicle, and commit any one of these mistakes, you will have to pay double the toll in cash:

1. If FASTag is not installed in your vehicle: FASTag lane is only for those vehicles which have this sticker.
2. If FASTag has no balance (blacklisted): This is the most common mistake. We check the oil in the car before leaving for a journey, but forget to check the FASTag balance. If the balance is zero or minus, your FASTag gets blacklisted and is not scanned at the toll.
3. If FASTag is damaged or not affixed properly: Many times the scanner is not able to read the FASTag even if it is old or pasted at the wrong place.

Why was this strict rule made?

This rule has not been made to harass you. The objective behind this is very simple – to keep the traffic flowing in the FASTag lane without any hindrance. Imagine, if people start giving cash in the FASTag lane or start stopping due to low balance, then the entire purpose of installing FASTag will be defeated and long lines will form there too. This fine is imposed to maintain this system.

How to avoid this fine?

It is very easy to avoid this double penalty. Just make a few things your habit:

• Check balance before travelling: Before setting out on any long journey, just like you check petrol, check the balance of your FASTag.
• Pay attention to low-balance alerts: As soon as you receive a message on your phone that your FASTag balance is low, recharge it immediately.
• Paste FASTag at the right place: FASTag should always be pasted on the inside, top middle of the vehicle’s windshield so that the scanner can read it easily.

So next time you go out on the highway, keep these small things in mind. A little caution on your part will save your time and money too.