The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has directed all FASTag issuer banks to undertake immediate validation of Vehicle Registration Numbers (VRNs) linked with FASTags issued by them.
The direction comes following complaints regarding mismatch between the VRN captured by FASTag readers and the registration number displayed on vehicles, according to a statement by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways on Wednesday, 15 April.
The move is aimed at strengthening data accuracy and reliability across the Electronic Toll Collection (ETC) ecosystem, where incorrect VRN mapping has raised concerns over enforcement and revenue leakage.
According to the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, such discrepancies have the potential to undermine enforcement mechanisms and may lead to evasion of Government revenue and also attract other penal provisions under the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988.
“It has been observed that a considerable number of such mismatches are associated with FASTags issued prior to the integration of FASTag issuance with the VAHAN database. During that period, validation mechanisms were relatively limited and relied more on manual processes, leading to potential inconsistencies in vehicle identification records,” the ministry said.
NHAI has emphasised that accurate VRN mapping is critical for upcoming technology-driven tolling systems such as Multi-Lane Free Flow (MLFF), where enforcement actions, including issuance of electronic notices to non-compliant vehicles, will depend on verified vehicle data.
“In this context, all FASTag Issuer Banks have been directed to undertake urgent verification of FASTags issued by them and to blacklist those FASTags that are found to be linked with incorrect or invalid VRNs, in accordance with established Government guidelines,” the ministry said.
The authority stated that the ongoing efforts to improve data integrity, prevent misuse of FASTag and will further enhance user experience on National Highways across the country.
