Starting April 1st, motorists traveling on key routes in and around Mumbai will face double toll charges if their vehicles lack a valid or operational FASTag or e-tag. This new rule will apply to the Bandra-Worli Sea Link, Mumbai-Pune Expressway, and Mumbai-Nagpur Samruddhi Expressway. Additionally, commercial vehicles passing through five toll booths on the city’s periphery – Vashi, Mulund, Airoli, Dahisar, and Thane – will also be subject to the double toll if they don’t use FASTag or e-tag. This rule does not apply to cars and SUVs at the periphery toll booths, as their tolls have been waived.
The Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) publicized this decision, which was made by the Public Works Department on February 18th, through an advertisement. The announcement explicitly states that “any vehicle utilizing cash, credit or debit card, QR code, smart card or any mode other than FASTag or e-tag shall be liable to pay double the toll amount.” This aims to encourage the use of electronic toll collection systems, reducing congestion and improving traffic flow.
The implementation of double tolls for non-FASTag users is intended to streamline toll collection and promote the adoption of digital payment methods. By discouraging cash transactions and other manual payment forms, authorities hope to reduce wait times at toll plazas and enhance the overall efficiency of these major transportation routes. Motorists are advised to ensure their FASTag or e-tag systems are working correctly to avoid incurring the increased charges.