From now on, vehicles sans FASTags will be charged double toll charges in electronic plazas

The government has mandated FASTags beginning at midnight on February 15, and vehicles found without FASTags will now be charged double the toll at electronic toll places across the nation. In a statement, the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways said it decided that from midnight of 15/16 February 2021, all lanes in the fee plazas on National Highways should be declared as ‘FASTag lane of the fee plaza’

‘Therefore, pursuant to the NH Fee Rules 2008, any vehicle not equipped with a FASTag or a vehicle not equipped with a valid, functional FASTag entering the Fee Plaza FASTag lane shall pay a fee equal to two times the fee applicable to that category,’ said the statement.

The Ministry explained that this was done to further promote the payment of fees through digital mode, reduce waiting time and fuel consumption, and ensure a seamless passage through the fee plazas.

With effect from 1 January 2021, the ministry mandated the fitting of FASTag into the M&N categories of motor vehicles.

Category ‘M’ means a motor vehicle with a minimum of four wheels used to transport passengers. And Category ‘N’ stands for a motor vehicle with at least four wheels used to transport goods, which, in addition to goods, may also carry people.