State-owned NHAI has directed all FASTag issuer banks to immediately validate vehicle registration numbers to enhance the accuracy and reliability of data in the electronic toll collection system.
The decision follows complaints regarding instances where the VRN captured by FASTag readers does not match the actual registration number displayed on the vehicle number plate.
Such discrepancies have the potential to undermine enforcement mechanisms and may lead to revenue evasion and attract other penal provisions under the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988.
NHAI has emphasized that ensuring the correctness of VRN mapping with FASTag is of critical importance, especially in view of upcoming technology-driven initiatives such as Multi-Lane Free Flow (MLFF) tolling.
Under the MLFF framework, enforcement actions, including the issuance of electronic notices (e-Notices) to non-compliant vehicles, will significantly depend on accurate and verified vehicle identification data.
