The Indian government has announced that 12.55 lakh refunds were processed in 2024 for faulty toll collections on National Highways. This was revealed by Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari in a written reply to the Lok Sabha on March 20, 2025.
The refunds were issued as part of the National Electronic Toll Collection (NETC) programme, managed by the National Payment Corporation of India (NPCI). Out of 410 crore FASTag transactions recorded in 2024, only 0.03%—equivalent to 12.55 lakh cases—were flagged for incorrect toll deductions. The government has also imposed penalties exceeding ₹2 crore on user fee collecting agencies responsible for these errors.
Minister Gadkari highlighted that errors often occur due to incorrect Vehicle Registration Numbers (VRN) entered manually or multiple readings by FASTag scanners. To address these issues, the government is considering the installation of audit cameras at high-value toll plazas, leveraging Artificial Intelligence (AI) to monitor and classify vehicles accurately.
Additionally, the government is working on enhancing highway infrastructure, with 325 projects equipped with an Advanced Traffic Management System (ATMS) and plans to develop over 700 Wayside Amenities (WSAs) along National Highways.
This initiative underscores the government’s commitment to improving toll collection systems and ensuring accountability among fee-collecting agencies. Stay tuned for more updates on infrastructure developments and policy measures.
