FASTag Mandatory from Today; Violators to Pay Double Toll Fee: After getting multiple deadline extensions, FASTags have been made mandatory from today. Indian Government announced the proposition on Sunday midnight, making it mandatory from February 15 (midnight). Any vehicle not fitted with the tag will be charged double toll fee at the electronic toll plazas across the country.
Union Road Transport and Highways Ministry announced that all lanes in the toll booths on the National highways shall be declared as ‘FASTag lane of the fee’ with effect from February 15-16, informed by a source.
The official statement also concluded that “any vehicle not fitted with FASTag or vehicles without a valid, functional FASTag entering into the FASTag lane of the toll booth shall pay a fee equivalent to two times of the fee applicable to that category.” This rule is applicable as per the NH Fee Rules 2008.
The Ministry has also clarified that they took this decision to further promote fee payment through digital modes, reducing the fuel consumption and waiting period, and also to provide a seamless passage through toll booths.
The Ministry had also indicated clearly that the fixing of FASTag in M and N categories of the motor vehicles with effect from January 1, 2021. The category ‘M’ stands for a motor vehicle with at least four wheels that carry passengers and the category ‘N’ stands for a motor vehicle with at least four wheels that carry goods, which may also carry persons in addition to goods.
The Union Transport Ministry has also clarified that no extended time limit would be provided for fixing the FASTags, and now everybody should immediately install FASTag on their vehicles to avoid paying double toll fee.
