FASTag made mandatory for availing discounts on toll plazas
26 Aug 2020
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Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has made the use of FASTag mandatory for availing return journey discount or any other concessions and discounts on highway toll plazas. Users who wish to claim a discount for making return journey within 24 hours or any other local exemptions, shall be required to have a valid functional FASTag on the vehicle.
The ministry also issued a Gazette notification dated 24 August 2020 to amend the National Highways Fee (Determination of Rates and Collection) Rules, 2008 in this respect.
This is another step towards promoting the use of digital payments on Fee Plazas of NHs. The fee payable towards such discounts shall be paid through pre-paid instruments, smart card or through FASTag or on board unit (transponder) or any other such device only.
The amendment would also make it possible to avail the return journey discount for return journeys within 24 hours without a prior receipt or intimation, as the vehicle would get the discount automatically if return journey is made within 24 hours with a valid and a functional FASTag.
A FASTag, which is an application based on Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology for making toll payments directly from the prepaid or savings account linked to. By affixing FASTag on the windscreen of the vehicle, the commuter can drive through toll plazas without stopping for cash transactions.
