No cash payments at toll plazas from today:Rule applies to vehicles plying on NHs; citizens can pay only via FASTag UPI

According to a previously issued gazette notification of the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, cash payments would not be allowed at toll plazas on national highways from Friday, 10 April, 2026. Consequently, payments can only be made via FASTag or UPI. This may create inconvenience for users without digital payment options. Although, a senior National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) official had said that the move was aimed at reducing long queues at toll gates and make highway travel smoother for commuters. The NHAI had earlier increased FASTag annual pass prices by 2.5%. The pass costs ₹3,075 instead of ₹3,000 from 1 April. UPI payments cost 1.25x more than toll fee on NHs The ministry also said that in cases where a vehicle enters a fee plaza without a valid FASTag, users can still pay via Unified Payment Interface (UPI), but at a higher charge of 1.25 times the applicable toll fee. If the user of a vehicle enters a fee plaza without a FASTag or a valid functional FASTag, as the case may be, and opts to pay fee through the Unified Payment Interface (UPI), he shall pay 1.25 times of the user fee applicable to that category of vehicle in accordance with the provisions of sub-rule (2) of rule 4. Provided that if the owner or driver of the vehicle does not opt to pay a fee in the manner specified under this rule, such vehicle shall be dealt in accordance with rule 14. -MoRTH’s notification There are over 1,150 fee plazas on various National Highways and Expressways in the country. Vehicle prices rise Prices of commercial and passenger vehicles had also increased by 2–3% from 1 April. Buyers who booked vehicles earlier but were not billed before 31 March would have to pay the revised rates.