The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has directed banks operating at Delhi Airport not to use FASTag to restrict vehicle entry into the Terminal 3 arrival lane. The direction followed complaints that only vehicles with an active FASTag were being allowed into the lane, while other vehicles were diverted to the Multi-Level Car Parking facility.

Officials said the practice caused vehicles without an active tag, or with insufficient balance, to lose part of the eight-minute free waiting period available at the arrival lane. NHAI has told IDFC Bank, which operates the system at the airport, to ensure that FASTag is used only as a payment instrument for parking and not to enforce entry restrictions. Other airport parking acquirer banks have received similar directions.

Delhi Airport provides eight minutes of free waiting time for private vehicles at lane 3 of the Terminal 3 arrival area. The facility was introduced in October 2024 to reduce congestion and maintain a steady flow of vehicles through the pickup lane. Vehicles are charged Rs. 250 for stays of nine to 13 minutes and Rs. 500 for stays exceeding 13 minutes.

Officials said making FASTag mandatory for entry was particularly inconvenient for residents of Delhi-NCR, as many vehicles used within the city do not carry an active tag or maintain sufficient balance. Several users have also reported difficulties with airport parking fee payments on social media platform X. Officials suggested that an exit-based system could allow all vehicles to enter and charge them according to their time spent inside.

FASTag is an electronic toll collection system operated by NHAI using radio-frequency identification technology. The vehicle-specific tag is fixed to the windscreen and enables automatic, cashless deductions from a linked bank account or prepaid wallet. Tags with inadequate balances can be blacklisted, and they cannot be transferred between vehicles. FASTag is issued through National Electronic Toll Collection member banks and is used for toll payments as well as parking fees in several cities.