Planning a Highway Trip? Cash Toll Payments May Not Be Accepted Soon

The Ministry of Road Transport & Highways said that Cash payments at National Highway toll plazas are likely to be discontinued from April 1, 2026. If implemented, toll payments at all National Highway fee plazas will be processed only through digital modes such as FASTag or Unified Payments Interface (UPI).

Under the proposed system, toll payments across National Highways and Expressways will be accepted exclusively through:

Currently, more than 98 percent of toll transactions are carried out using FASTag, according to the government. UPI payment facilities are also operational at toll plazas across the country.

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As per National Highway fee rules:

These measures were introduced to reduce cash transactions and increase digital toll collection.

According to assessments conducted at toll plazas, cash-based payments contribute to congestion, longer waiting times during peak traffic periods and disputes related to transactions. The government stated that shifting entirely to digital payments is intended to improve traffic movement and reduce delays at more than 1,150 fee plazas on National Highways and Expressways across the country. The proposal is part of a broader plan to develop a fully digital tolling system on the National Highway network.