The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) has clarified that no decision has been made to implement a nationwide Satellite-Based Tolling System from May 1, 2025, countering reports circulating in sections of the media.

In an official statement, the Ministry said neither it nor the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has taken any decision to replace the existing FASTag-based toll collection system with a satellite-based system by that date.

Instead, the Ministry announced plans to introduce an ‘ANPR-FASTag-based Barrier-Less Tolling System’ at select toll plazas to enable seamless, barrier-free vehicle movement and reduce travel time. The new system will integrate Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) technology with the existing Radio-Frequency Identification (RFID) FASTag framework.

Under the proposed system, vehicles will be identified through high-performance ANPR cameras and FASTag readers, allowing tolls to be deducted without vehicles having to stop. 

In case of violations, E-Notices will be issued to offenders, with non-payment potentially leading to the suspension of FASTags and other penalties under the VAHAN system.

The NHAI has already invited bids for the deployment of the ANPR-FASTag-based system at selected toll plazas. A final decision on its nationwide rollout will be taken after assessing its performance, efficiency, and user feedback, the Ministry said.

All toll plazas on national highways operate on the ICD 2.5 protocol, which provides real-time tag status updates. As a result, FASTag users can recharge their accounts at any time before crossing a toll plaza.

To further simplify the process, customers are encouraged to link their FASTag wallets to UPI, savings, or current accounts with auto-recharge settings, eliminating the need for manual top-ups. Users can also recharge their FASTag accounts anytime using a range of payment options, including UPI, net banking, and other digital channels.