These 10 Rules Will Change from April 1st: From Tax Exemptions to Railway Refunds and Toll Plazas—Find Out How Your Pocket Will Be Affected

Rules Change: Starting tomorrow, April 1, 2026, 10 significant changes are coming into effect across the country. These include tax exemptions on income up to ₹12.75 lakh, changes to the time limit for railway ticket refunds, an increase in the prices of FASTag annual passes, and new documentation rules for PAN cards. Additionally, the rising prices of commercial gas cylinders and new vehicles are likely to place an extra financial burden on the common man.

Rules Change: With the commencement of the new financial year, the government and various departments are implementing revisions to their policies. While relief is expected within the tax regime on one hand, there are indications on the other that travel and consumer purchases are set to become more expensive. Let’s take a look at the 10 changes scheduled to take place starting April 1, 2026.

Filing Under the New Tax Regime: The tax slabs announced in 2025 will now come into effective force. For the salaried class, income up to ₹12.75 lakh (under Section 87A) will be tax-free, while for others, this limit stands at ₹12 lakh.

New Forms 130 and 131: For Tax Deducted at Source (TDS) deductions, Forms 130 and 131 will now be used to replace the older Forms 16 and 16A. These new forms will provide more detailed breakdowns of tax calculations, thereby reducing the likelihood of errors when filing Income Tax Returns (ITR).

PNB ATM Cash Withdrawal Limits: Punjab National Bank has lowered withdrawal limits to curb fraudulent activities. Holders of ‘Classic’ cards will now be able to withdraw a maximum of ₹25,000, while ‘Platinum’ cardholders will be limited to ₹50,000. For cash requirements exceeding these limits, customers will need to utilize their chequebooks.

New Rule for PAN Cards: Effective immediately, ‘Aadhaar’ will no longer be accepted as a valid document for proof of date of birth when applying for a new PAN card or when requesting a change to one’s date of birth on an existing card. For this purpose, a Class 10th marksheet or a birth certificate will now be mandatory.

Railway Refund and Boarding Rules: Now, a refund for ticket cancellation will be granted only if you apply at least 8 hours before the scheduled departure of the train (previously, this window was 4 hours). However, passengers will now be able to change their boarding station up to 30 minutes prior to the train’s departure.

FASTag Annual Pass: The price of the annual pass has been increased by 2.5%. Instead of ₹3,000, you will now have to pay ₹3,075, which will be valid for 200 toll trips.

No-Cash System at Tolls: Cash transactions will be completely discontinued at all toll plazas. Payments will be possible only via FASTag or UPI. The absence of cash payment options may cause inconvenience to those who do not use digital payment methods.

New Rates for Cylinders and ATF: New prices for gas cylinders and Aviation Turbine Fuel (ATF) will be released at 6:00 AM on April 1st. An increase in the cost of commercial cylinders could make dining at restaurants more expensive, while a rise in ATF prices could lead to higher air travel fares.

New Vehicle Prices: Automobile manufacturers are increasing the prices of their vehicles by 2% to 3%. If the invoice for your car has not been generated by March 31st, you will be required to pay the revised, higher price.