World · India Bureau
NHAI Issues Directive After Delhi Airport Restricts Entry Over FASTag
Indira Gandhi International Airport's Terminal 3 had been allowing vehicle access only to those with active FASTag systems, prompting the National Highways Authority of India to intervene with strict instructions.
LSN India ·
The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has issued directives following reports of irregular FASTag-based access restrictions at Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport. Terminal 3's arrival area had reportedly been permitting vehicle entry exclusively to vehicles equipped with active FASTag systems, the digital toll collection mechanism mandatory on Indian highways.
The practice raised concerns about passenger access and violated standard protocols governing airport operations. FASTag, a radio-frequency identification-based system, is designed for toll plaza transactions on national highways and expressways, not for regulating general vehicle entry at airports.
The NHAI's intervention underscores the distinction between highway toll infrastructure and airport access management. Airport authorities operate under separate regulatory frameworks and cannot unilaterally implement toll-collection mechanisms as entry prerequisites for public facilities.
The directive is expected to ensure that airport access procedures comply with established guidelines and do not create barriers for passengers and visitors traveling to Terminal 3. Clarifications on the matter remain pending from airport management authorities.