For all concessionaires and toll collection companies, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) published comprehensive standard operating procedures (SOP) on Thursday. The new regulations state that anyone found to be in violation would pay twice as much for tolls and may possibly be placed on a blacklist.
With over 8 crore users and a penetration rate of almost 98%, FASTag is an electronic toll collection system. At about 1,000 toll plazas throughout about 45,000 kilometers of national highways and expressways, tolls are currently collected nationally.
Why the new rules?
The NHAI reports that the deliberate non-affixation of FASTag on vehicle windshields has caused unnecessary delays at toll plazas, inconveniencing fellow highway users.
“This initiative of charging double user fees for non-affixation of FASTag will help to make toll operations more efficient and ensure a seamless and comfortable journey for national highway users,” NHAI stated.
FASTag has been required for the payment of tolls on National Highways since February 2021. The goal of NHAI’s set regulations is to ensure that the front windshield of the vehicle has the FASTag properly affixed from the inside.
At toll plazas, FASTags that are not attached in accordance with the regular procedure will not be able to be used for Electronic Toll Collection (ETC) transactions. The statement from the authority further stated that violators can be placed on a blacklist and face double toll penalties.
The NHAI, which oversees 70,000 km of national highways, found in June that lengthy lines continued to form at toll booths all over the nation even with the FASTag system in place.
To address this, toll plaza agents were also instructed to use only certified equipment from manufacturers authorized by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, ensuring the installation of high-quality hardware at toll plazas.
How does NHAI plan to implement them?
The NHAI said information about the new guidelines will be prominently displayed at all user fee plazas, informing highway users about the penalties for non-compliance of entering a toll lane without a fixed FASTag on the front windshield.
In addition, they plan to install CCTV cameras at the fee plazas, to capture footage with Vehicle Registration Number (VRN) of the non-affixed FASTag cases. This, the authorities said will help in maintaining proper records regarding the fee charged and the presence of the vehicle in the toll lane.
Issuer banks have been instructed to ensure FASTags are properly affixed to vehicles’ front windshields at the time of issuance from various points of sale (POS).
In a bid to further enhance toll operations, NHAI had earlier announced plans to implement a Global Navigation Satellite System-based Electronic Toll Collection (ETC) system within the existing FASTag framework. This new system aims to provide a seamless, barrier-free tolling experience for highway users, increasing both efficiency and transparency in toll collection.
By addressing these issues and rolling out advanced technology, NHAI aims for smoother travel experience for millions of highway users, ensuring that toll operations are efficient, fair, and hassle-free.
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Source: FirstPost
