No More Cash Handling At Toll Plazas! Thanks to FASTag

About 80% of toll collections made across national highways are via FASTag. Hence, not having FASTag for your vehicle might turn out to be inconvenient for you when you drive on national highways. Toll collection has already touched around Rs 93 crore per day, racing towards the mark of Rs 100 crore per day.

FASTag is nothing but a tag or sticker which is usually pasted on a vehicle’s windscreen. FASTag, with the help of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology, will communicate with the scanner installed at toll plazas. Once a vehicle crosses a toll plaza, the prescribed toll amount will automatically be deducted from a bank account or a prepaid wallet linked to the FASTag.

Thanks to FASTag! Vehicles need not have to stop at any toll plazas. In case the FASTag is linked to a prepaid account like a debit or a credit card, or a wallet, you will need to top up or recharge the tag. In case the FASTag is linked to a savings account, then the amount will get automatically deducted after the balance becomes lower than a predefined threshold. After your vehicle crosses the toll plaza, you will get an SMS alert regarding the deduction just like an SMS alert you receive when your money gets debited from your bank account or wallet.

FASTags are available on all major online retail platforms such as Paytm, Amazon, Snapdeal etc. They have also been made available at points of sale locations set up by 23 banks. The list is inclusive of all major banks. Even the Road Transport Authority offices sell FASTags. The government is looking at ways to expand the network so that dealers, fuel stations, agents, and commercial centres are also covered and accessing a FASTag should be hassle-free. 

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The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) via its subsidiary Indian Highway Management Company Limited (IHMCL) sells as well as operates FASTag. A FASTag which is purchased from one bank cannot be used with another bank’s account. So mostly, users choose to buy FASTag from a bank in which they have their bank accounts.

NHAI also sells FASTags that are bank-neutral and are issued by IHMCL online; these FASTags are not linked to any bank, and a user can choose his/her mode of payment to be linked to his or her FASTag account. Currently, this type of FASTag is most popular. There are about 50 million vehicles; out of which there are about 20 million FASTag users. The FASTag user count has increased by 400% in a year. Last year, the number of FASTag users had not even touched the one crore mark. About 615 toll plazas of NHAI and 100 toll plazas of state highways have adopted toll collection via FASTag. This number will increase gradually.

For getting and activating a FASTag, you will need the following documents:

• Copy of your driver’s license for address proof and photo ID purposes.
• Your vehicle’s registration certificate.
• Banks will need your KYC documents such as Aadhaar, PAN, or passport.

For any clarifications/feedback on the topic, please contact the writer at bhavana.pn@cleartax.in