FASTag is still mandatory from January 1; deadline extension valid only for hybrid lanes, clarifies the ministry | Photo credit: BCCL
New Delhi: The Ministry of Road and Highway Transport (MoRTH), on Thursday, said that FASTag will be mandatory on January 1, 2021 in categories ‘M’ and ‘N’ of motor vehicles, sold before December 1, 2017.
Four-wheeled passenger vehicles are included in category ‘M’, while ‘N’ stands for four-wheelers used to transport goods. The Ministry clarified that this Central Regulation of Motor Vehicles is still in force.
However, the extension of the term applies only to the hybrid lanes of the toll plazas in which the payment of tolls can be made in cash until February 15, 2021. Payment in the hybrid lanes can also be made Through radio frequency identification (RFID) adhesive labels called FASTag that are linked to the electronic wallets or bank accounts of users for electronic payments at toll gates.
“It is clarified that this Central Regulation of Motor Vehicles is still in force. However, in the hybrid lanes of the National Highways, the payment of the rates can be made through FASTag and also in cash until the 15th of February 2021 “.
In addition, in the FASTag lanes of the fare spaces, the payment of the fares will continue to be through FASTag only. The Ministry has clarified that it is committed to the implementation of 100% electronic toll in the tariff places as of January 1, 2021, required by CMV. Rules, as amended, “MoRTH said in a statement issued Thursday.
The previous deadline for the collection of 100% of tolls on national highways through FASTag was January 1, which was extended to February 15. After February 15, motorists will only be able to make highway toll payments exclusively through FASTag.
To this end, the 1989 Central Regulation of Motor Vehicles was modified. The ministry issued a notification in this regard on November 6. The extension was granted as many people still use cash to pay tolls on national highways.
Currently, the proportion of FASTag payments at toll plazas ranges between 75% and 78%. To discourage cash payments at toll plazas, all lanes except one on each side have been dedicated to FASTag transactions and are called ‘FASTag Lanes’.
In particular, if any vehicle is found in the lane without the FASTag, the owner is obliged to pay double the amount of normal tolls.
An electronic toll collection method, FASTAg is an RFID tag that is affixed to the windshield of your vehicle. The tag can be reloaded with cash and allows automatic deduction of toll charges at collection booths on national highways. and automatically deducted at toll booths.
