National Electronic Toll Collection (FASTag) programme, the flagship initiative of (MoRT&H) and National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has been implemented on pan India basis in order to remove bottlenecks and ensure seamless movement of traffic and collection of user fee as per the notified rates, using passive Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) 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 1st December 2019, while provisioning one lane (extreme left lane in each direction) which would be kept as hybrid lane to accept FASTag as well as other.

In line with the Ministry’s mandate, NHAI has taken slew of measures to ensure a smooth transition to 100% digital toll payments via FASTag from 1st December 2019. All pending lanes at NH fee plazas are targeted to be enabled with FASTag to meet the 1st December mandate.

Trial Run:-

As the December deadline approaches, conscientious decision was taken to start the trial run of the FASTag mandate at NH fee plazas from 1st November 2019. During trail run each vehicle without FASTag are approached and apprised benefit of it and are offered FASTag.

Awareness campaign:-

Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) and NHAI recently conducted a national campaign on “One Nation One Tag – FASTag” on 14th October 2019 in order to popularise FASTag adoption in non-NH toll plazas.

Availability and Recharge FASTag-

As on date, FASTag may be purchased from over 28,500 Point-of-Sale locations set up by various banks and IHMCL/NHAI which includes all NH fee plazas, RTOs, Common Service Centers, transport hubs, bank branches, selected petrol pumps, etc. 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, etc. (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, etc.

To search for the nearest point-of-sale locations, one may download My FASTag App, or visit www.ihmcl.com or Call 1033 NH Helpline number.

For recharge facility, NHAI/IHMCL has developed UPI recharge facility via My FASTag App. FASTag can be also be recharged by visiting respective bank’s portal through net-banking, credit/debit card, UPI and other popular means of payment.

It may be noted that as per Government Gazette notification, any vehicle user 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.

 

 

G.Chippalkatti/D.Rane (Source: NHAI RO, Mumbai)

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