Over 4,800 FASTag Users Faced Incorrect Toll Deductions Per Day In 2025 On National Highways

Almost every day, on average, 4,840 FASTag users faced incorrect toll deductions on the national highways across India out of the estimated 1.27 crore FASTag transactions registered daily, an analysis of official data shows.

The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) this week informed the Lok Sabha that the National Payment Corporation of India (NPCI), which provides the Central Clearing House (CCH) services of the National Electronic Toll Collection (NETC) Programme, has reported 17.66 lakh transactions where refunds were made due to incorrect user fee (toll) deductions between January and December 2025.

Of the average 4,840 daily disputed transactions, 1,740 were linked to transactions not recognised by tag holders, 1,480 to toll fare

calculation errors, and about 870 to duplicate transactions at toll plazas.

The analysis also shows that nearly two-thirds of refunds (66.5%) were linked to system recognition and fare calculation issues, rather than deliberate overcharging or user error.

The largest category, with 6.35 lakh refund cases, was under “transactions not recognised by the tag holder / NETC service not availed”, minister Nitin Gadkari said. This implies 36% of disputed transactions were due to either late posting of transactions, back-end reconciliation delays, or user perception gaps rather than actual double tolling.

Only 3.1% of cases involved tolls paid by other means, while 12.4% of refunds stem from return journey benefits not provided—a rule-based concession meant to be automatic.

Marginal Share in Total Transactions

The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) later clarified that while refunds were processed for nearly 18 lakh FASTag users due to a technical system error, these instances constitute only a minuscule fraction, around 0.03%, of the total 464 crore FASTag transactions recorded during the year.

In reference to the recent media reports regarding #FASTag refunds, NHAI would like to clarify that while refunds were processed for nearly 18 lakh FASTag users due to a technical system error, these instances constitute only a minuscule fraction—around 0.03%—of the total 464… pic.twitter.com/Xkqvr3VdV0

— NHAI (@NHAI_Official) January 30, 2026

“This highlights the overall scale, reliability, and robustness of the FASTag ecosystem,” it said, adding that all affected National Highway users were promptly refunded, and NHAI has already implemented corrective measures.

The NHAI also said further steps are underway to strengthen automation and system safeguards, ensuring an even more seamless, accurate, and user-friendly tolling experience for National Highway users across the country.

When set against the 464 crore FASTag transactions logged in the year, the share looks marginal at around 0.03%. But at a smaller scale, that fraction adds up to roughly 200 disputed transactions every hour.

The ministry informed the Lok Sabha that road users have access to various channels for grievance redressal related to FASTag issues.

“Complaints can be lodged through the National Highways Helpline 1033, the dedicated email [e-mail], the respective FASTag issuer bank helplines, as well as through the RajmargYatra App,” it added.

Barrier-free Tolling Next

The MoRTH also assured that they are committed to making the tolling system more efficient, transparent, and user-friendly through improving lane equipment and the adoption of advanced technologies. Monitoring is carried out through centralised toll management systems.

“To further increase the efficiency of tolling operation and in order to ensure seamless and free-flow movement of vehicles along national highways, the Government has decided to implement barrier-free Electronic Toll Collection (ETC) System using Automatic Number Plate Recognition Cameras on selected sections of National Highways as an added facility along with FASTag where the user fee shall be charged from the vehicle users without having them to stop, slow down or stay in a given fee plaza lane,” the ministry added.

At least 21 fee plazas across India have been selected for barrier-less tolling, including five from Delhi-NCR, minister Nitin Gadkari informed Lok Sabha on Thursday.

He said a Request for Proposal (RFP) to implement a barrier-less tolling system has been invited or finalised across 21 fee plazas, “with the possibility of implementing it on other fee plazas in a phased manner depending upon the outcome and efficacy of the implementation on these projects”.

Of the 21 plazas, six are under the bidding stage, while work has been awarded on 15.