While cities are marked with constant traffic jams, highways are one place where we love our journeys to be seamless. And keeping this in mind, the NHAI introduced the 10-second rule in May 2021. And now, with FASTag integration as high as 96% for most toll plazas, it’s time to revisit the 10-second rule.
The 10-Second Rule
In May 2021, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) issued guidelines to strictly ensure that no more than 10 seconds are spent as service time per vehicle, even during peak hours at every toll plaza in India. The move was taken to ensure minimal waiting time.
The guidelines also ensure that a seamless traffic flow is maintained at the toll plazas. The guidelines called for not allowing vehicles to queue up for more than 100 meters. For the same purpose, toll plazas were also instructed to mark a yellow line 100 meters from the toll booth.
No Need to pay toll, if the queue is longer than 100 meters
To summarize, the key points of the NHAI guidelines were:
- Waiting time of not more than 10 seconds per vehicle, even during peak hours at the toll plazas on the National Highways.
- Easy traffic flow at the toll plazas by preventing vehicle queues of more than 100 meters.
- No toll collection from vehicles if the waiting queue is more than 100 meters or if it takes more than 10 secs to cross reach the toll booth.
- The marking of yellow line 100 meters from the toll booth will be marked in each toll lane.
- The Government is also working on introducing a more efficient tolling structure wherein the toll tax can now be deducted via your car’s number plate.
- This also means that the currently used Fastag system will soon be discontinued.
The guidelines further stated that since NHAI has transitioned to 100 percent cashless tolling, FASTag passage at toll plazas has reached 96% overall, with even 99% passage at some plazas. Due to this growing electronic toll collection, the government wants passage time to reduce and journeys to become hassle-free.
NHAI also wants upcoming toll plazas to incorporate a new design that considers traffic projections for the next 10 years for efficient toll collection.
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As fastags are made mandatory how is 10 seconds rule is useful for travelers. Even if i have to wait for more than 10 seconds tge system automatically scans the tag and otherwise barricades won’t open untill you pay. Toll plaza employees will come with handheld scanner but won’t let the cars pass.
…..And who exactly is enforcing this????
I have travelled fr Kolhapur Maharashtra to MUMBAI in last week.
I have spent 2 hours on 2 toll plaza only during the journey.
Both toll plazas had line of over 1.5 km at Anewadi Satara & about 2.5-3 km at Talegaon toll plaza on express Highway.
Thousands of vehicles pv / cv were stranded in the ques including Ambulances.
Making rules won’t help unless they are made or forced to follow by toll plaza operators.
My compliant on 1033 toll free number isn’t yet registered in the matter.
Hi Anil,
Request you to keep a copy of the notification whenever you encounter such a situation. This will help you to get an exemption from paying tolls from any specific toll plaza.
It does not help. Toll guys don’t look at it. Anewadi and Mumbai Pune expressway are classic example.
No one helps, even Nitin Gadkari sir does not help.
Other long lines are also seen at tumkur toll gate.
Government has put rules in place but not followed
How about enforcing the 10 second rule. The Fastag readers have to be upgraded since they are unable to read the tag. Can we learn from a country like Dubai where the SALIK system automatically deducts the toll WITHOUT THE VEHICLE EVEN STOPPING. And if your vehicle doesn’t have a valid Salik tag or no tag, a fine is automatically imposed on the vehicle and a notification sent to the vehicle owner.
Hi Savio,
We can indeed take inspiration from countries that are already using such systems. However, the MoRTH is working on a new number plate recognition system that will eliminate log cues in the FASTag lane as well. This will automatically shorten the ques and make crossing toll plazas more smoother.
Actually, in many countries, there is NO TOLL PLAZA. Vehicles just move normally on the roads and the sensors above pick up the tags and deduct the toll. A camera takes a picture of any vehicle that does not have a tag or whose balance is less. And a fine is automatically imposed and a notification immediately sent to the vehicle owner.
Making rules is fine. But how do you ensure it’s compliance? My experience at Bann toll plaza , which I have to cross every days shows nothing has changed even with electronic toll collection. Their overhead RF readers never work they waste time with hand held meters, most often instead of all 4 only two lanes are open. And waiting lines way beyond 100 meters is the norm rather an exception. I wonder if authorities have ever checked this and tried correction.
Can you provide the nhai notification? Have been reading the info in multiple forums but not able to get hold of the nhai notification. Would be helpful when we have to talk with the toll plaza executive if we have the notification
Hi Ranga,
We have attached the screenshot of the notification in the article. Please have a look.
Have experienced many times that toll plaza staff do not care about the notification their standard words are go and talk to the office. What does one do when after already waiting for 30 to 45 minutes you do not want to waste another one to two hours of your hassled journey. Should not there be a authorised person to look into this
Good to know… it’s the Goon at the Toll plaza who calls the shots. The traveler is at his mercy.. show him the rule book…. and get roughed up…!! The Toll booths are manned by goons and bouncers… might as well wait longer than getting into a slog match…make implantable simple rules.
10 second wait period claim is absolutely bogus minimum waiting time on any toll naka is more than 8 to. 10 minutes because of truck 🚛🚒 drivers who are the most troublesome and non co operative
Yes. I agree. And the truck drivers drive in the Fast Lane, disrupting traffic. Where are the highway police? Can’t they book and fine these truck drivers? And maybe cancel their driving licences at the second violation ?
When we take up the matter with the higher ups at the toll naka they shout back at us saying that what you have read in the paper is not informed to us nor we have received any information to implement the same
It is the duty of the government to put up this message in bold and easy visibility that can be seen from distance
The cash collections are not being reported. The are going as black money. Hence some toll plazas are reporting 99% fastag.
Actually, in many countries, there is NO TOLL PLAZA. Vehicles just move normally on the roads and the sensors above pick up the tags and deduct the toll. A camera takes a picture of any vehicle that does not have a tag or whose balance is less. And a fine is automatically imposed and a notification immediately sent to the vehicle owner.
This is another jhumla of this government. The goons employed at toll plazas misbehave with people at the first instance you talk about rules. Their 1033 helpline is another harassment centre where you register a complaint and then forget about any action.This shameless government has nothing else to do other than harp of its achievements, many of them fictitious just to look glam on social media. The quality of roads being made is pathetic in most cases as all roads are wavy and vehicles donot drive levelled. I have suffered a loss of nearly Rs10000 as the idiots at Nijjerpura toll plaza dropped the boom barrier on my vehicle breaking the entire rear wiper assembly. Despite 2 complaints at 1033, no reply till date even after 4 months.
I have been travelling a lot and state like karnataka, Telngana Andhra Pradesh are excellent example of real FASTAG collection within time limit. Worst is Maharastra I have experienced 15 minutes waiting , sencors not working,collection of cash in a lane marked NO CASH LANE which are main cause of delay.
The fastag sensors at most toll plazas in India are so slow and faulry that the toll collections are quite slow and this really hampers smooth movement of traffic. The 10 second rule is a sham. 80% of toll plazas do not have this line and no mattet how well you try to prove to toll staff with videos that it has taken you 4 to 5 minutes to cross, they are ready to fight it out with you whichever way possible to NOT let you pass toll free. So to save further time I never argue because toll staff have all the time in tue world and commuters do not. This is the story of Delhi Chandigarh highway.
Even with notification, toll would be deducted from your fastag once you reach the front. How will it be reversed?
Even as of now there are lines at toll plaza where the waiting some times is more than 15 mins. Not only wasting time but once again tonnes of costly imported fuel which adds to poor economy to the toll collection. Some toll booths use hand held guns to read the tag. Taking note the +91 22418 00000 plaza in and out of Mumbai are the worst and strong action by the transport ministry should be taken against these operators
Is this yellow line thing and 10 sec rule really true? What proof is to be produced by the driver to contest that? Snippets from relevant NHAI notice would help believe this
Hi Ranga,
We have attached the screenshot of the notification in the article. Please have a look.
You said above that notification is attached. But that is not notification. It is a press release. Pl publish the notification or give date of notification and where it is available.
Every I travel from Mumbai to karjat via express Highway it takes more than 10 minutes at Vashi toll naka,and more than 10 minutes at shedung bypass. Especially at shedung computers can’t read the fasttag. Workers come with hand held cameras which are very slow . It takes more than than 30 minutes at 3 toll gates. none of these places have yellow lines at hundred metres. Maintenance and conditions of roads,I think less said the better. It’s pathetic.
No 10 second waiting rules r folowed, without fasttag tolls charges r double,many preffer to pay double charges then to buy fast tag as to pay double charges is no problem for such persons as maximum toll is Rs.150, person owning car worth more then 5 lakhs can easily pay 300 rs.
Without fast tag the toll charges should be 10 times of original toll charges, then person will avoid paying rs.1500 instead of regular charge of rs.150
Honourable Mr. GADKARI should note this n increase toll charges from double to 10 times fir non fasttag vehicle.
Vehicle with fast tag have to wait in que without his or her fault, for non fastag vehicle cash payments.
Hope honourable minister will take action soon
Paliyakara Toll in trichur – ernakulam highway in Kerala it takes anywhere between 10 minutes upto 45 minutes usually. At times more than that. Still toll is collected. Hope the ministry have an idea if ground reality
I drive on the southern highways regularly. The sensors of a majority of toll booths are disfunctional. Often takes 5-10 min at least to cross a toll booth. the staff at these booths are least concerned about waiting time and smirk at drivers if they get upset with the delay.
The root cause is buying and implementing a very antiquated slow software and equipment. A decade back countries like UAE had superfast systemsfir toll collection. Isn’t it an irony that these systems are designed and maintained by Indian software firms and engineers.
Even the state of highways is slowly deteriorating due to poor maintenance. The worst is in Maharashtra. Mr Gadkari makes a lot of noise but his state fares the worst in his department. Very sad.
New rules are made and we are been forced to follow them. There is no one on the other side who will keep a check and enforce these policies and will take actions against each such complaint.
Everything is just namesake. And it will still remain like this even after we complete 100 years of Independence. No one and nothing will be changed.
You are right. We are progressing on paper, in the fabricated news channels, etc. No real sustainable progress. And the goons at the toll plazas are the vote bank generators. Not the tax paying people. The condition of the highways is another joke. Bribery, corruption will not stop – again the corrupt are the vote generators, so we cannot take a risk angering them. God help us all.