Free FASTag: Fastag will be free again from today, there will be freedom from jam and fines on toll

The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has once again started giving free FASTag to drivers. NHAI made FASTAG mandatory on all its toll plazas in December 2019 to make the toll plaza jam-free and increase electronic toll collection. It was expected that the toll plaza would be freed after the fastag became mandatory, but the problem remains the same.

New Delhi The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has once again started giving free FASTag to drivers. NHAI made FASTAG mandatory on all its toll plazas in December 2019 to make the toll plaza jam-free and increase electronic toll collection. It was expected that the toll plaza would be freed after the fastag became mandatory, but the problem remains the same.

Long queues of vehicles can still be seen on the toll plazas of national highways. There are reports coming from all the centers that indifference towards Fastag is being seen among the small drivers, especially the car drivers. In some cities, even 50 per cent car owners have not taken Fastag. Due to this, long queues of vehicles can also be seen in the fastag lane of the toll plaza.

Fastag has become mandatory since December 2019

It is known that earlier also the National Highway Authority had launched a campaign to distribute free fastag to the drivers between 22 November 2019 and 15 December 2019. Apart from NHAI, there was a campaign to distribute free fastags from all banks and e-wallet companies at that time. After this, Fastag was made mandatory on all toll plazas of NHAI from 16 December 2019.

There is a provision to collect double the toll including fine

Provision was also made to recover the fine from the drivers who did not fasten. NHAI had then announced that most of the lanes of the toll plaza would be fastag. In such a situation, if a vehicle without fastag comes in that lane, then double tax will be charged including penalty. Even after this, long queues of vehicles on toll plazas have become a cause of concern for NHAI. The drivers of NHAI are also being constantly aware of the use of Fastag.

So the toll on the toll plaza is not ending

According to Surya Pratap Singh, Project Director, Brijbhumi Expressway, only 50 per cent of small vehicles (especially cars) have been able to hit Fastag despite all efforts by the government. Big vehicle owners have started using it almost 100 percent to avoid the fear and penalty of fines. The jam situation at the toll plaza remains the same due to the small vehicle drivers not taking interest in the fastag. Alam is that people who had taken free fastags in the past are also not recharging them now.

Fastag will get free for next 15 days

According to the new guidelines issued by NHAI, any driver can get a free fastag immediately by carrying a vehicle registration certificate (RC) and a photo identity card. For the next 15 days free fastag will be available at all toll plazas of NHAI. NHAI has announced to distribute free Fastag from 15 February 2020 to 29 February 2020. During this time, the drivers will not have to pay a fee of Rs 100 to install Fastag. After fasting, drivers will not have to stop to pay tax at the toll plaza. Vehicle drivers will be able to pay toll tax automatically without stopping. This will also provide relief to the drivers from the jam on the toll plaza.