The list of such activities include use of any unauthorised parallel software and mobile application, PoS machines for unaccounted transactions, unrecorded closure of toll lanes, and deactivation of lane cameras.The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has directed all toll operators and system integrators to ensure no handheld point of sale (PoS) devices and other such billing machines are used for collecting user fee, including overloading charges.
The authority’s direction comes after a special task force of the Uttar Pradesh Police recently unearthed that scamsters, using an illegal software system, diverted toll collections to private bank accounts of their associates. This software targeted vehicles without FASTag or with insufficient FASTag balance, which are typically charged double toll.
In a circular issued on Saturday, IHMCL, the entity responsible for electronic tolling on national highways, has instructed all system integrators to monitor and immediately report any irregularity or suspicious activities.
The list of such activities include use of any unauthorised parallel software and mobile application, PoS machines for unaccounted transactions, unrecorded closure of toll lanes, and deactivation of lane cameras.
“Particular attention should be given to monitoring hybrid/cash lanes during night hours. Any suspicious activity must be reported immediately...Failure to report any suspicious activity by the toll collection agency may be deemed as connivance by the system integrator and may result in strict action,” said the circular signed by IHMCL chief operating officer A R Chitranshi.
Officials said the NHAI has also hiked the penalty for each violation of the contract, including the use of PoS machines other than the Toll Management System for collecting user fee to Rs 10 lakh per month, 10 times more than the earlier fine.
