FASTags, which facilitate electronic payment of fee at toll plazas, have been made mandatory from February 15 midnight and vehicles not fitted with them will be charged double the toll at electronic toll plazas across the country. Here’s all you need to know about them:
• Beginning February 15 midnight, all lanes in the toll plazas on National Highways shall be declared FASTag lanes.
• This has been done to promote fee payment through digital mode, reduce waiting time and fuel consumption, and provide for a seamless passage through the fee plazas.
• Union transport minister Nitin Gadkari said on Sunday that the government has already extended the FASTag registration deadline a few times and would not be extend it any further.
• The ministry of road transport and highways had mandated FASTag for M&N categories of motor vehicles with effect from January 1 this year; it was extended to February 15 later.
• Category ‘M’ is for a motor vehicle with at least four wheels used for carrying passengers.
• Category ‘N’ stands for a motor vehicle with at least four wheels used for carrying goods though it may also carry people.
• FASTag is a sticker attached to the windshield of your vehicle. It has a radio-frequency identification barcode that is linked to registration details of the vehicle.
• It is valid for five years.
• On passing a toll plaza, FASTag readers installed there will automatically deduct the required toll.
• To buy a FASTag, you need to furnish vehicle registration documents, and personal ID for the KYC process. If you do it through the bank, you only need your registration certificate.
• It can be bought via banks or e-commerce channels. It can also be purchased at some toll plazas across the country.
• If you have bought it through a bank, the e-commerce partner would create an e-wallet. All you need to do is add money to the e-wallet. Likewise, for mobile payment banks, you can recharge using your debit/credit card, UPI or other payment options.
• Those exempt from paying toll don’t need to use FASTag either. This includes judges, bureaucrats, lawmakers, ministers and emergency service workers.
• As per the ministry, FASTag registration has reached 90%; only 10% people still need to get it.
