Business Desk, ETV Bharat: FASTags have been made mandatory at all the toll plazas of the national highways in the country from February 15 midnight, notified Ministry of Road Transport & Highways (MoRTH).
According to a statement, all lanes at the toll plazas on the national highways will be declared as "FASTag lane of the fee plaza" and vehicles without FASTags will be charged double the toll as penalty.
MoRTH has clarified that mandatory FASTags will promote digital payment mode, reduce waiting time and fuel consumption, and provide seamless passage through the fee plazas.
What is FASTag?
Under the FASTag facility, an electronically readable tag is to be placed on vehicles. It is a tag based on radio frequency identification (RFID) technology for making toll payments directly from the prepaid account linked to it. It is affixed on the windscreen of the vehicle.
What is the validity period of FASTag?
The tag has a validity period of five years. After the purchase the tag is only required to be recharged.
While the tag has a validity of 5 years, the money in your FASTag account has no validity. This means that it can be used forever.
How will FASTag work?
When the vehicle passes through a toll plaza, a machine reader scans your tag and deducts the toll amount automatically. In effect, one need not stop the vehicle at the toll gate.
Why is FASTag required?
The National Electronic Toll Collection (FASTag) program is a major initiative of the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways and the National Highways Authority of India. It has been implemented at the all-India level to eliminate bottlenecks on toll plazas and ensure uninterrupted movement of traffic.
What are the benefits of FASTag?
- Ease of payment as there is no need to carry cash for the toll transactions
- Saves time
- Online Recharge
- SMS amd Email alerts for toll transactions, low balance, etc.
- Online Portal for customers
From where to buy FASTag?
FASTag can be bought online from banks such as SBI, Axis Bank, ICICI Bank etc. FASTag can also be bought on Amazon, Flipkart, Paytm etc.
FASTag may be purchased from 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.
List of banks providing FASTag?
For retail segment (car/jeep/van) FASTag may be purchased 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 has 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.
What are the charges?
In FASTags, a security deposit of Rs 200 is charged (security deposit vary depending on the vehicle type).
Also, a minimum recharge of Rs 100 is required for all vehicles.
Banks, from which you are recharging the FASTag, will also charge an amount up to Rs 200 for issuing the tag along with the taxes incurred.
How to recharge FASTag?
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. After recharging your tag will be activated.
What are the documents required to buy FASTag?
The customer has to submit a copy of the following documents along with the application of FASTag –
- Vehicle Registration Certificate
- Passport Size Photograph of Vehicle Owner
- KYC Documents as per Vehicle Owner Category (i.e. Personal / Corporate)
I. For personal/Individual
- For the personal category, the person will require all the above-mentioned list i.e., ID proof and address proof and one passport size photograph
- Driving license, PAN card, passport, voter ID Card, Aadhaar Card (with address).
II. For corporate customers and others
- The above mentioned original documents by the FASTag issuing agency
- Certificate of Incorporation/ Partnership Deed/Registration certificate of the firm PAN Card of Proprietor
- PAN Card of the corporate Address Proof of the Proprietor
- Photo ID of signing authority Shop Act or other Firm Proof
- List of Directors with addresses/Name and addresses of Partners
All required documents for FASTag should be in the name of the owner of the vehicle. If car owner is not present at the time of application, driver will need to submit his photo ID proof.
FASTag information can be obtained from NHAI's 1033 toll free number. Complaints related to Fastag can also be filed on this number.
