BackFASTag must from tomorrow midnight or get ready to pay twice the fee, says govt
The Ministry had mandated fitment of FASTag in M&N categories of motor vehicles with effect from 1 January 2021.Meanwhile, Union Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari said deadline for the implementation of FASTag would not be extended further
PremiumMinistry of Road Transport & Highways today announced that all lanes in the fee plazas on National Highways shall be declared as “FASTag lane of the fee plaza" from midnight of 15th/16th February 2021.
"Therefore, as per NH Fee Rules 2008, any vehicle not fitted with FASTag or vehicle without valid, functional FASTag entering into the FASTag lane of the fee plaza shall pay a fee equivalent to two times of the fee applicable to that category," the ministry said in a statement.
In a statement issued today, the Ministry has clarified that this has been done to further promote fee payment through digital mode, reduce waiting time and fuel consumption, and provide for a seamless passage through the fee plazas.
The Ministry had mandated fitment of FASTag in M&N categories of motor vehicles with effect from 1 January 2021.
Category ‘M’ stands for a motor vehicle with at least four wheels used for carrying passengers whereas Category ‘N’ stands for a motor vehicle with at least four wheels used for carrying goods, which may also carry persons in addition to goods.
Meanwhile, Union Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari today pressed on the fact that deadline for the implementation of FASTag would not be extended further, and the vehicle owners should immediately adopt the e-payment facilty.
FASTags, which facilitate electronic payment of fee at toll plazas, was introduced in 2016. Making the tags compulsory would also help in ensuring that vehicles pass seamlessly through the toll plazas, as the fee payment would be done electronically.
Replying to a query on FASTags at the Nagpur airport, Gadkari said the government had extended FASTag registration date limit two-three times before; and now, it would not be extended further. Now, everybody should immediately buy FASTag.
How to get a FASTag:
-You will need a copy of their driver’s license, the vehicle registration certificate and passport size photograph. Banks will also require PAN and Aadhar card for the KYC process.
-FASTags can be purchased online from the authorized banks or even through retailers such as Amazon. Buyers can also opt to visit any points of sale of one of the 23 authorized banks and road transport offices to get the tag. Users are advised to purchase the tags from the banks they already have accounts in. The national highway authority also sells IHCML tags which are bank-neutral.
-In order to recharge the respective FASTags, the user can either go to the bank’s website that provided the FASTag and recharge it through available payment methods. Alternatively, they can use IHMCL mobile app to track and recharge the FASTag.
According to the latest statement by the Transport Ministry, there are more that 2.54 crore FASTag users in the country and it contributes 80% of the total toll collection. Daily toll collection through FASTag has crossed ₹89 crore mark.
The FASTag registration has gone up to 90% on some routes and only 10 per cent people are left. FASTag is also available on toll nakas and people should purchase and use it for seamless traffic, he said.
The central government extended the FASTag deadline for the vehicles from January 1, 2021, to February 15, 2021
Unlock a world of Benefits! From insightful newsletters to real-time stock tracking, breaking news and a personalized newsfeed – it's all here, just a click away! Login Now!
