The Bihar Transport Department has launched a new system that makes it mandatory for all eligible VVIP government vehicles to obtain exempted FASTags to continue receiving toll tax waivers at toll plazas across the state. The directive applies to vehicles used by MPs, MLAs, ministers, senior officials and other dignitaries, and is aimed at ensuring smooth and uninterrupted movement while preventing delays at toll booths.
Under the new guidelines, every eligible VVIP vehicle must be registered on the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) exemption portal within three months. Only vehicles registered through this portal and equipped with an exempted FASTag will be allowed to pass through toll gates without paying toll tax or stopping for verification. The Transport Department has sent individual letters to all concerned officials and officeholders, urging them to complete the process at the earliest to avoid inconvenience later.
Transport Minister Shravan Kumar said that the mandate follows the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) of the Government of India, and stressed that timely registration is essential. He noted that VVIP vehicles frequently lose valuable time while being stopped at toll plazas, sometimes affecting their participation in official meetings or urgent events. The new mechanism, he said, is designed purely for convenience and efficiency.
The list of officials eligible for toll exemption includes the Chief Minister, Lok Sabha Speaker, Rajya Sabha Chairman, Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, Members of Parliament and Legislative Assembly (when travelling in government vehicles), Chief Justices and High Court judges, current and former legislators and ministers, Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the Bihar Legislative Assembly, and former Chief Ministers. Once registered, their vehicles will be automatically recognised at toll plazas through FASTag scanners.
The Transport Department said that implementing exempted FASTags is part of a broader effort to modernise state-level administrative logistics and reduce unnecessary delays for high-ranking officials on official duty. The department has reiterated the three-month deadline and urged speedy compliance, emphasising that failure to register within the stipulated period could result in loss of toll waiver facilities.
