Govt gives time till 15 December to comply with FASTag rules for toll booths
02 Dec 2019
The government has extended the time for complying with the new rule necessitating the requirement of using FASTag app for electronic payment at toll booths across the country. The scheme was originally slated for launch from 1 December, 2019.
The ministry of road transport and highways has decided to postpone the date of compulsory implementation of FASTags on national highway toll plazas to 15 of December 2019, an official release stated on Friday.
In order to save fuel, time and pollution and to ensure seamless movement of traffic, the ministry of road transport and highways has launched the National Electronic Toll Collection programme (NETC), which provides for collection of user fee through FASTag, which is a RFID-based technology. It was decided that all lanes (except one lane on each side) in toll plazas should be declared as 'FASTag lane” of toll plaza by 1 December 2019.
Accordingly, NHAI has equipped all toll plazas with Electronic Toll Collection System. For ease in availability of FASTag , NHAI has launched MyFASTag APP whereby all information regarding FASTag can be obtained along with location of POSs and charging/ linking with NHAI/other wallets or bank accounts, the release stated.
However, since many users have still not enabled their vehicles with FASTag due to various reasons, the ministry has decided to provide some more time to vehicle owners to use FASTags on their vehicles. Also, the ministry said, toll plazas will start charging double from vehicles which enter FASTag lane without FASTag from 15 December 2019 instead of 1 December 2019.
NHAI will also continue to be provided FASTag free of cost till 15 December 2019, the release added.