The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) on Wednesday said banks issuing FASTags have been asked to verify vehicle registration numbers (VRNs), following complaints of mismatches between toll system records and physical number plates.
NHAI said these mismatches are associated with FASTags issued prior to its integration with VAHAN database. “During that period, validation mechanisms were relatively limited and relied more on manual processes, leading to potential inconsistencies in vehicle identification records,” NHAI said.
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The directive comes as government wants to expand Multi-Lane Free Flow (MLFF) tolling, where vehicles will be charged without stopping at plazas. Under this, enforcement will depend heavily on accurate digital records, including the issuance of electronic notices to violators.
Vehicle numbers will be detected using automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) cameras and checked with VAHAN database to ensure that right vehicle is identified through an AI-based system, an official said.