New Delhi: State-owned NHAI on Wednesday said it has directed all FASTag issuing banks to conduct instant verification of vehicle registration numbers to enhance the accuracy and reliability of data in the electronic toll collection system.
In a statement, NHAI said the decision comes after receiving complaints regarding cases where the Vehicle Registration Number (VRN) captured by FASTag readers does not match the actual registration number displayed on the vehicle number plate.
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.
It has been observed that a large number of these mismatches are linked to FASTags issued before their release with the VAHAN database, the release said.
The report noted that during that period, verification mechanisms were relatively limited and relied more on manual processes, leading to potential inconsistencies in vehicle identification records.
NHAI said it has emphasized that ensuring the validity of VRN mapping using FASTag is of critical importance, especially in view of upcoming technology-driven initiatives such as Multi-Path Free Flow Tolling (MLFF).
Under the MFF, enforcement actions, including the issuance of electronic notices (e-Notices) for non-compliant vehicles, will rely heavily on accurate and verified vehicle identification data.
“In this context, all FASTag issuing banks have been directed to urgently conduct verification of FASTags issued by them and blacklist FASTags found to be associated with incorrect or invalid VRNs, as per applicable government guidelines,” NHAI said.
