The rule to maintain the minimum balance for FASTag is now withdrawn. The National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) has changed the conditions. Now, this requirement is applicable only for commercial vehicles. According to NHI, the decision will benefit the passenger segment (car, jeep, van).
NHAI has also informed that the FASTag issuing banks not to make it mandatory to keep a minimum balance other than a security deposit. Prior to this decision, customers were asked by banks to keep minimum balance in addition to security deposits in FASTag. According to this condition, consumers had to keep a balance of 150 to 200 rupees.
In the absence of minimum balance, people used to recharge in a hurry at the toll plaza itself. As a result, a lot of time was spent on the toll plazas. That is, without a fixed amount in the FASTag account or wallet, we were not allowed to pass through a toll plaza.
Know how to recharge FASTag:
This will not happen now after the change in the rules because even if there is zero balance, the car will be allowed to go from the toll plaza as banks will now be able to deduct the toll amount on the toll plaza from the security money of the consumer.
It is to be mentioned here that the government had launched the FASTag rules in 2016 to make toll tax collection easier.
Ms Kalinga