FASTag - 5 Government Regulations You Should Know

FASTag is an electronic payment method that allows you to make an online payment at a toll plaza. As per the traffic laws, it is mandatory for every vehicle to get the tag affixed for cashless toll payments. Read further to know about FASTag’s new rules as set by the government.

Waiting in long queues for toll payments can be avoided with the installation of a FASTag, a small, rectangular tag that is embedded with Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology to enable cashless payment at the national highway toll plaza. It was introduced in 2017 by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highway, to resolve inconveniences faced by drivers with regards to cash payments. The tag also aims to reduce unending wait and traffic problems at toll booths.

The RFID-enabled sticker is fixed on a vehicle’s windscreen, so that the tag reader at the toll plaza is able to scan it wirelessly to process the payment automatically. It is linked to a Prepaid or Savings Account from which the toll amount is cut. You do not have to wait for a cash transaction as the fee gets deducted while your vehicle is in motion, as you pass through the toll booth. Installing a FASTag is compulsory with effect from Apr 01, 2021 as per the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI).

Apart from the mandate, here are five FASTag rules issued by the Government of India: 

• In case you do not have a FASTag, and you enter the FASTag lane at the toll booth, you will be required to pay double the toll amount
• In another scenario, if your FASTag is not working due to low balance or damage to RFID, you will have to pay twice the toll amount at the toll booth
• Most vehicles that were sold since 2017 are pre-fitted with a FASTag. In case you have an older version, you will have to apply for the tag, which is available at any bank. For instance, ICICI Bank issues FASTags online
• From Apr 2020, FASTag is also mandatory if you want to acquire a third-party insurance for your vehicle
• You cannot use one FASTag for multiple vehicles. It is meant only for one vehicle. 

There are several benefits of using FASTag, which include:

• The tag helps to save fuel and time as you do not need to worry about cash. The toll amount gets deducted from the Prepaid or Savings Account
• Whenever you pass through a toll booth and the amount is deducted, you also get an SMS about the transaction. SMS updates are regularly provided on your registered mobile number

You can easily recharge the FASTag through UPI, Credit/Debit Card, NEFT, RTGS

• It is easy to keep track of the transactions by logging on to the FASTag web portal

If you are a frequent traveller, you can avail a monthly pass for a specific toll plaza.

In case you haven’t obtained your FASTag, it is time that you purchase, to avoid a FASTag violation. It is possible to purchase the RFID tag online or through a mobile app. You can simply log in to ICICI Bank Net Banking, iMobile Pay, the InstaBIZ app or Pockets app to apply for a FASTag online.

Terms and Conditions apply.

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