Delhi Commercial Vehicles To Shift To Single FASTag System for MCD Toll Collection

Commercial vehicles entering Delhi will soon no longer need to maintain two separate RFID tags for toll payments, as the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) is preparing to shift its toll collection system to FASTag. The move is expected to bring major relief to commercial drivers who currently struggle with recharging and managing both FASTag and the MCD-issued RFID tag.

According to officials, the integration will be implemented once a new company is selected through a fresh tender for toll collection. The decision to bring MCD tolls under FASTag follows a Supreme Court directive allowing the levy of the Environment Compensation Charge (ECC) on all categories of commercial vehicles.

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MCD had previously faced obstacles in linking its system with FASTag due to ECC-related exemptions; empty vehicles were charged differently, while vehicles carrying fruit and essential commodities were exempt. The FASTag mechanism could not accommodate these variations.

A senior official said that with all ECC exemptions now abolished, all commercial vehicles will be connected to FASTag. Discussions are underway with the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), and provisions for FASTag-based toll collection will be added in the upcoming tender conditions.

Currently, private vehicles are exempt from MCD tolls, while commercial vehicles must pay upon entering Delhi. In 2019, based on Environment Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority (EPCA) recommendations, MCD introduced RFID-based toll collection at 13 major plazas to reduce pollution from vehicles queuing for cash payments. Drivers, however, often faced difficulties due to needing separate recharge accounts for FASTag and the MCD RFID tag.

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To strengthen toll collection and prevent traffic congestion, MCD is also planning to install Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras in the free lanes.
Officials said commercial vehicles currently misuse free lanes, forcing staff to halt them manually for toll recovery, which creates bottlenecks.

With ANPR cameras, number plates will be automatically scanned as vehicles pass through, and the toll amount will be deducted directly from their linked FASTag or MCD account, eliminating the need to stop vehicles.