Fastag to be mandatory on 22 State-Run highways in Maharashtra starting April 1

Starting April 1, motorists traveling on 22 state-run highways in Maharashtra must use Fastag for toll payments. This decision, approved by the Maharashtra state cabinet on Tuesday, extends the electronic toll collection system currently implemented on national highways to state roads under the jurisdiction of the Maharashtra government.

The mandate will apply to toll plazas on 23 highways managed by the Public Works Department (PWD) and 50 highways operated by the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC). Officials from the transport department believe the initiative will ease traffic congestion, streamline toll payments, and enhance transparency in toll collections.

“The Fastag system has been mandatory on national highways managed by the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) since 2021. Now, the same policy will apply to toll plazas on state highways, including those operated by private contractors,” an official explained.

Motorists without a Fastag will face a penalty of paying double the toll amount if they choose alternative payment methods such as cash. The operational framework for state highways will be identical to that of national highways.

Fastag, a cashless toll payment system, uses a passive RFID tag affixed to a vehicle’s windshield. As the vehicle passes through a toll plaza, the system automatically deducts the toll from the user’s linked account, eliminating the need to stop.

In addition to introducing Fastag across state highways, the Maharashtra government plans to amend its Public-Private Partnership Policy of 2014 to support the updated toll collection mechanism. The move is part of a broader effort to modernize infrastructure and provide smoother travel experiences for motorists across the state.