No more cash at toll plazas: India shifts to FASTag and UPI-only payments from April 11

India’s push towards the cashless and the efficient transportation system it have implemented the digital only toll collection across the toll plazas on the National Highways. Starting from the 11th of April, 2026 all the toll payments are processed exclusively via FASTag and UPI and it will be eliminating the cash transactions. This move aims to enhance the transparency, reduce congestion and time, also improve the user convenience. However the rollout is temporarily not to implemented for the sometimes because of the ongoing elections in the India.

Digital-Only Toll Collection Across India

The government has made the mandatory for all the vehicles to pay tolls by using digital methods such as the,

• FASTag
• Unified Payments Interface (UPI)

This will be marking the significant shift from the hybrid systems (cash + digital) to the fully digital tolling ecosystem.

Initiative is part of the Indiass broader vision to build the smart, technology-driven transport infrastructure.

Key Objectives Behind the Move

This transition to digital only toll collection is aims to achieve the multiple goals like,

Improving Efficiency

It will help to faster vehicle movement at toll plazas.

Also it will reduced the waiting time and traffic congestion

Enhancing Transparency

• Minimizes the cash handling and leakages
• And ensures the accurate and traceable transactions

Promoting Digital Economy

• This will encourage the widespread adoption of digital payments
• Which will strengthens the India’s fintech ecosystem

Exemptions In Certain States

This implementation will not be roll out in the certain states as the Election Commission of India have announced the elections in the those states/ut which mentioned below,

• Tamil Nadu
• Kerala
• Assam
• West Bengal
• Puducherry

Due to the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) enforce which restricts the new policy implementations.