New regulation at tollgates: Pay double the toll if you enter FASTag lane
Posted on: 19/Nov/2019 5:42:32 PM
A new regulation is set to be introduced from 1st December on the tollgates in National Highways throughout the country!
Owners of vehicles that are not fitted with FASTag (electronic toll collection) will be charged double the toll fee if they use �FASTag lanes� at toll plazas along national highways from the 1st of December!
Only recently, the Ministry of Road, Transport, and Highways have made electronic toll collection (ETC) mandatory for all vehicles from December 1. However, one lane (extreme left) at every toll plaza will continue to accept cash.
The Electronic Toll Collection (ETC) has been designed to ensure the non-stop movement of vehicles at the toll plaza, cashless payment, and reduction of traffic congestion.
Pawan Kumar, a Regional Officer, National Highways Authority of India, informed that the rule would be strictly implemented.
Even dignitaries such as judges, CMs and cabinet ministers who are exempt from paying the toll will have to get �zero balance� FASTag.
Pawan Kumar further added, �We introduced FASTag in certain toll plazas to identify the shortcomings and ways to address them well before the end of this month�.
They witnessed vehicles piling up in cash-collection lanes and disturbing the free flow of traffic.
Status
- The NHAI has equipped 462 out of 482 lanes in 48 toll plazas - 22 in the Madurai region and 26 in the Chennai region - with the radio frequency identification-based FASTag. The remaining 20 lanes will be equipped with FASTag within a couple of days!
- On 17th November, a total of 6.11 lakhs vehicles - 1.66 lakhs in Madurai and 4.45 lakhs in the Chennai Region - passed through the toll plazas on the NHS. Of them, only 1.51 lakhs vehicles or 35% were fitted with FASTag. He said, �We have installed 90 points of sale (PoS) units at the toll plazas to help vehicle owners to switch to FASTag�.
- Apart from the above, the vehicle owners can get FASTag online or approach nationalized/ private banks to get the tag. They need to submit RC of the vehicle, driving license of the vehicle owner and get it done by paying Rs 500 (Rs 250 is refundable, while Rs 100 is for the tag and Rs 150 for service charge). The vehicle owner will get an SMS about the amount deducted every time his vehicle passes through the ETC-equipped lanes. Sources said the state government is also contemplating introducing FASTag lanes in state-controlled national highways.
