FASTag Now Mandatory From Feb 15 Or Pay Double Toll Fee

The Ministry of Road Transport And Highways have made it mandatory for vehicles to have FASTag accounts from February 15, without which their toll charge will be doubled at toll plazas.

"It has been decided that all the lanes in the fee plazas on National Highways shall be declared as 'FASTag lane of the fee plaza' w.e.f midnight of 15^th/16^th February 2021," the ministry said in a statement.

FASTags were made mandatory by the government for motor vehicles from January 1 this year, but the deadline was extended till February 14.

"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," it further stated.

FASTag facilitates electronic fees payment at toll plazas automatically ensuring seamless movement of vehicles, saving fuel and time. It also stops pilferage of revenue and maintenance of transparency.

There are around 40,000 points of sale (PoS) set up by the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) across the country where people can buy FASTags.

In Assam, FASTag counters are set up in all district transport offices. They can also be availed from select bank branches of 22 national banks as well as some petrol pumps and highway toll plazas.