National Electronic Toll Collection (FASTag) programme, the flagship initiative of Ministry of Road Transport and Highways and National Highways Authority of India has been implemented on pan India basis to remove bottlenecks on toll plazas and ensure seamless movement of traffic and collection of user fee as per the notified rates, using passive Radio Frequency Identification technology.
To give a major fillip to enhance digital payments and bring in enhanced transparency, the Ministry had mandated to declare all lanes of fee plazas on National Highways as “FASTag lanes” by December 1, while provisioning one lane (in each direction) which would be kept as hybrid lane to accept FASTag and other modes of payment, the Ministry said here on Monday.
As the December deadline approaches, conscientious decision has been taken to start the trial run of the FASTag mandate at identified NH fee plazas from November 1, 2019 onwards and progressively increasing to all toll plazas.
Nodal Officers have been designated for each NH fee plazas to closely monitor implementation of FASTag mandate and the trail run and to take necessary measures to remove any bottlenecks identified. Nodal officers and Regional officers share the learning experience with others.
Daily video conferences or review meetings are being conducted by the Chairman, NHAI with all concerned ROs, and officials of NHAI HQ and IHMCL to review the preparedness of the December 1 mandate. During trail run each vehicle without FASTag is being approached and apprised benefits of it and are offered FASTag.
To increase the awareness among common commuters, marketing and promotional activities are being carried out through various channels such as national and local newspapers, magazines.
As on date, FASTag may be purchased from over 28,500 Point-of-Sale locations set up by various banks and IHMCL or NHAI which includes all NH fee plazas, RTOs, Common Service Centers, transport hubs, bank branches, selected petrol pumps.
For retail segment (car/jeep/van) FASTag may be purchase online on Amazon and by visiting websites of different member banks such as SBI, ICICI bank, Axis bank, Paytm Payment Banks, HDFC bank, IDFC First bank. (For detail list of member banks, please visit www.ihmcl.com).
FASTag have also been made available at over 12,000 banks branches of prominent private sector banks like ICICI bank, Axis bank, HDFC bank.
As per Government Gazette notification, any vehicle without a FASTag entering into a “FASTag lane” at a NH fee plaza shall have to pay a fee equivalent to two times of the applicable fees to that category of vehicle. NHAI is making all round efforts to make the hassle free travel on Highways.
