Vehicles Without FASTags Have to Pay Twice the Toll Fee

Story:

From 1st December 2019, Vehicles Without FASTags Have to Pay Twice the Toll Fee.

Other Versions

FASTags will Become Mandatory for all Vehicles from December 1, 2019.

Analysis:

Vehicles without FASTags will have to Pay Twice the Toll Fee from 1st December 2019. FASTags will become mandatory for all vehicles, according to new plan of Ministry of Road Transport and Highways and National Highway Authority of India.

About FASTags

The National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) operates FASTag as an Electronic Toll Collection (ETC) system. The technology involves affixing the FASTag device on the windscreen of vehicles enabling commuters to drive through toll plazas without stopping for toll payment. Toll plazas are equipped to debit the amount from accounts linked to RFID-based FASTags. The FASTag device is in fact a rechargeable Electronic Toll Collection card.

Vehicle with FASTag device

The ETC system started in 2014 as a pilot project between Ahmedabad and Mumbai, gradually extending to all National Highways across India. FASTag is the flagship initiative of Ministry of Road Transport and Highways and National Highway Authority of India. The purpose of it is to ensure smooth operation of vehicles and prevent traffic congestion on National Highways. It is also to encourage cashless payments, transparency and ensure no one is overcharged.

New FASTag Plan

According to the National Highways Fee Rules 2008, a FASTag lane in a toll plaza is reserved exclusively for the movement of FASTag users. If you are passing the lane without FASTag, you will be charged double the fee. On 18th November 2019, the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways issued a press release for the Implementation of new FASTag Mandate. Accordingly, all the lanes of the toll plazas will be declared as “FASTag lanes” from December 1, 2019 and toll payments will be through the FASTag device.

The new mandate is in fact making it necessary for all vehicles to have FASTags. If a vehicle owner does not have a FASTag, he will be charged double the normal fee at the toll plazas on the National Highways. Note, there will be one hybrid lane in each direction to accept FASTag and other modes of payment. Officials however said this too will phase out eventually.

Where to Buy FASTags?

To buy FASTags, there are thousands of Point-of-Sale locations including NH fee plazas, RTOs, Common Service Centers, transport hubs, bank branches, selected petrol pumps, etc. NHAI has also partnered with some banks to retail the FASTag devices. You can learn more about them on National Highway Authority of India website nhai.gov.in. You can also find more information about FASTags on fastag.org website. To search for the nearest point-of-sale locations, you may download My FASTag App or Call 1033 National Highway Helpline number.