FASTag Exemption: Who Skips Tolls Starting April 1st?

New rules are to be implemented from April 1st. If people break the rules, they will have to pay double toll tax, but did you know that some vehicles are exempt from Fastag? Which are these vehicles, and will you also get an exemption? Let's find out. The Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) has announced a major change in toll collection rules. This will come into effect from April 1, 2025. From this date, all toll plazas in Mumbai will operate exclusively on the FasTag system.

This decision aims to regulate toll fees, reduce waiting times, and reduce traffic jams at toll plazas, ensuring a smoother experience for travelers. With the full transition to digital toll collection, vehicles without FasTag will have to pay double the toll.

This measure is intended to encourage drivers to switch to FasTag, eliminate long queues and manual transactions, and simplify the seamless toll payment process. However, some vehicles will be exempt from this mandate. According to media reports, school buses, light motor vehicles, and state transport buses do not require FasTag at the five main entry points into Mumbai.

These include toll plazas in Mulund West, Mulund East, Airoli, Dahisar, and Vashi. Despite these exemptions, the FasTag system will be strictly enforced on major highways, including the Mumbai-Pune Expressway, the old Mumbai-Pune Highway, and the Mumbai-Nagpur Samruddhi Expressway.

It should be noted that if a FasTag is blacklisted due to insufficient balance or other reasons, recharging it may not immediately update its status. In such cases, the toll may not be deducted from the FasTag, resulting in double charges. To avoid this, users are advised to recharge their FasTag in advance.