FASTag mandatory from tomorrow midnight or get ready to pay twice the fee, says Nitin Gadkari

FASTag mandatory from tomorrow midnight or get ready to pay twice the fee, says Nitin Gadkari

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.

Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari on Sunday said the deadline for the implementation of FASTag would not be extended further, and the vehicle owners should immediately adopt the e-payment facility.

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.

Ministry 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.

FASTag mandatory from tomorrow midnight or get ready to pay twice the fee, says Nitin Gadkari
FASTag mandatory for vehicles from January 1

The Ministry had mandated the 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.

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.

If you are yet to purchase a FASTag, then here's how you can do it online:

How to buy FASTag online?

FASTags are issued by 22 certified banks through Point-of-Sale (PoS) at National Highway toll plazas and select bank branches. They are also available on e-commerce platforms such as Amazon, Flipkart and Paytm Mall. FASTag issued by certified banks can charge a maximum of Rs 100 for each tag, which is fixed by NPCI. Apart from the banks and mobile wallets such as Paytm, one can recharge a FASTag using the BHIM UPI as well. One can also buy it from Airtel. Additionally, FASTag users can also get 2.5 per cent cashback from NHAI on all toll payments done via FASTag.

For buying FASTag via your registered bank, you can check the registered website of the banks like ICICI Bank, Axis Bank, HDFC Bank, SBI, etc. as they are authorised, FASTag partners. You can then look for the FASTag option on the website and click on the 'Apply for FASTag' option. Then enter your vehicle number and registered mobile number to receive an OTP. After this, enter the prompted details like name, address, etc., and upload necessary documents. After this, you will have to make an online payment for the FASTag; it has a one-time fee of Rs 200, reissuance fee of Rs 100, and a refundable security deposit of Rs 200.

Documents required:

If you reside within a range of 10 km from the toll plaza, you can avail of a concession on toll to be paid via your FASTag. In such a case, you need to submit the required documents- proof of residence at the bank, nearest POS location to validate that your residential address is within 10 km of a particular toll plaza. Once the address is verified, you can avail of a concession on the toll paid via FASTag assigned to your vehicle, according to the IHMCL website.

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