As FASTag becomes mandatory for all vehicles across the country from Monday's midnight, the commuters at the National Highway Authority of India's Kshipra toll plaza in Indore are finding it seamless, hassle-free and less time-consuming.
Vikas Rawat, assistant toll manager at Kshipra toll plaza told that the owners of the vehicles without FASTag are being charged double the toll as they are paying cash at the toll plaza on a National Highway.
"We are charging double toll tax from the owners of the vehicles without FASTag. Such vehicles are passing through a different lane here. The government has made FASTag mandatory from midnight of February 15-16. NHAI authorised stalls have been installed 500 meters away from the toll, which are providing FASTag to the drivers," he said.
Rawat advised the owners of the vehicles to get FASTag from NHAI authorised stalls only.
When asked about glitches in the system due to which it is unable to read FASTag sometimes, he said, "The tag is said to be blacklisted either because of the balance in the account or if the tag is damaged. In the case of damage, it can be changed from the bank from which the tag is taken or can be recharged at the expiry of the recharge. To avoid being charged double, owners of vehicles should get FASTag fixed."
Dsh, a commuter passing through the toll plaza said the FASTag facility is good and it is cashless. "It is reducing traffic jams on the toll plaza. It is also saving our time. In COVID-19 pandemic, it is promoting cashless transactions which is good," he said.
Jitendra, owner of a loading vehicle said, " FASTag is a good feature. It takes less time to pay toll at the plaza. It is helping us in reducing time travel in our journey."
Laxmi Narayan, who was going to Bhopal from Maharashtra with his family said he faced problems at the toll plaza as his FASTag was damaged and he came to know about it in Indore.
"I got the FASTag fixed. It is a good system and helping us for a smooth journey," he said.
Union Road Transport and Highways Ministry had on Sunday announced all lanes in the fee plazas on the National Highways shall be declared as 'FASTag lane of the fee plaza' with effect from the midnight of 15-16 February.
Any vehicle not fitted with FASTag or vehicles without valid, functional FASTag entering into the FASTag lane of the fee plaza shall pay a fee equivalent to two times of the fee applicable to that category, Ministry stated.
The Ministry clarified that this has been done to further promote fee payment through digital mode, reduce waiting time and fuel consumption, and provide for a seamless passage through the fee plazas.
( With inputs from ANI )
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