If you are planning to commute, you will need a FASTag to make toll payments while crossing national highways in India. NHAI made it compulsory to make toll payments using FASTag after December 15, 2019. The FASTag sticker on your windscreen gets scanned at toll plazas, and the required toll fee is automatically debited from the current FASTag account.
However, it becomes impossible to make electronic toll payments if your FASTag is blacklisted. A blacklisted FASTag can not be scanned at toll plazas, and you must pay double the amount in cash. Hence, it becomes crucial that you know the process of reinstating your FASTag in case it gets blacklisted. This article will help you in understanding the process of unblocking your blacklisted FASTag.
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What are the reasons for a FASTag getting blacklisted
A FASTag can be blacklisted by the issuing institution, such as a bank or NBFC, or by a law enforcement agency. Once the FASTag is blacklisted, it becomes ineligible for making toll payments until it is reactivated.
Here are the reasons which can lead to your FASTag getting blacklisted:
- Insufficient balance: The issuing institutions require the users to maintain a minimum balance (typically Rs. 100) in their FASTag account. If you do not maintain this minimum balance for a specified time, your FASTag account can get blacklisted.
- Incorrect or outdated information: Every information in your FASTag account must be up-to-date and correct. Your Fastag account may get blacklisted if the KYC information in your FASTag account is outdated. Furthermore, it can be blacklisted if the vehicle registration number on your FASTag is incorrect.
- Legal violations: Legal violations such as using a personal vehicle’s FASTag on a commercial vehicle can lead to FASTag blacklisting.
- Suspicious activities: The FASTag issuing institutions regularly monitor the FASTag accounts to flag any suspicious activities or transactions. In case your FASTag account shows any suspicious activities or transactions, it can be blacklisted to protect against financial fraud.
What is the process of reinstating your blacklisted FASTag
Here is the process you should follow to reinstate a blacklisted FASTag:
Maintain sufficient balance
Log in to your FASTag account and check the current balance. Compare it with the minimum balance requirement and determine if it is below the minimum balance. If it is, use a trusted third-party online marketplace or platform to recharge the account and maintain sufficient balance to reactivate the FASTag.
Update or correct information
If the reason for your FASTag blacklisting is outdated and incorrect information, check if the KYC information is up-to-date and if the vehicle registration number on your FASTag is correct. If not, provide relevant documents to the issuing institution to update KYC or correct the vehicle registration number. Once completed, your FASTag will reactivate.
Contact customer care
If the issuing institution has blacklisted your FASTag and you can not identify the reason or the resolution process, contact the customer care. They will help you identify the main reason for your FASTag blacklisting and the process you can follow to reactivate your FASTag account.
Contact law enforcement agency
If a law enforcement agency has blacklisted your FASTag, contact their customer care or visit their office. You can ask them about the main reason for your FASTag blacklisting and the following process to reactivate your FASTag account.
How to prevent FASTag blacklisting in the future
Here are some points to remember to avoid FASTag blacklisting in the future:
- Sufficient balance: Always maintain a sufficient FASTag account balance.
- KYC: Ensure that your KYC information is up to date in your FASTag account.
- Vehicle registration number: Ensure that the vehicle registration number is correct on your FASTag.
- Monitoring: Check all the FASTag transactions closely and contact customer care if you find any discrepancies.
- Toll-related laws: Ensure that you follow all the toll-related laws to avoid legal violations and penalties.
Conclusion
A blacklisted FASTag becomes inoperative and can not be scanned at toll plazas. This can lead to unnecessary expenses when paying in cash and delays at the toll plazas. Hence, it is important to take precautions to avoid FASTag blacklisting. In case your FASTag is blacklisted, contact customer care and follow the communicated process to reinstate your blacklisted FASTag.
