No More Cash at Toll Plazas: NHAI Mandates Digital Payments from April 1

New Delhi, March 2026: Road users across India will no longer be able to pay toll charges in cash from April 1, as the National Highways Authority of India rolls out a fully digital payment system across all toll plazas.

In a significant move to modernise highway travel, the authority has announced a complete ban on cash transactions, making digital payment modes mandatory for commuters. From April 1 onwards, toll payments can only be made through options such as FASTag or Unified Payments Interface.

The initiative is aimed at enhancing efficiency and ensuring greater transparency in toll collection across national highways and expressways. Officials believe that the shift to a cashless system will significantly reduce congestion at toll plazas, allowing vehicles to pass through more quickly and cutting down waiting times.

With the elimination of cash lanes, smoother traffic flow is expected, particularly during peak travel hours. Faster processing at toll booths is also likely to lower fuel consumption and reduce vehicle emissions, contributing to environmental sustainability.

However, authorities have acknowledged that the transition may pose initial challenges for some commuters, especially those unfamiliar with digital payment methods. Vehicles without a valid FASTag or with insufficient balance could face penalties or may be stopped at toll plazas.

In such situations, travellers will have the option to make instant payments via UPI by scanning QR codes installed at toll booths. Despite this provision, officials have cautioned that network connectivity issues could occasionally disrupt transactions, potentially causing delays.

To avoid inconvenience, commuters are advised to ensure that their FASTag accounts are active, properly linked to their bank accounts, and adequately funded before starting their journey. Keeping a functional UPI app on a smartphone as a backup payment option is also recommended.

The move marks a major step in India’s push towards building a robust digital infrastructure, aimed at making highway travel faster, more seamless, and efficient for millions of users nationwide.