In a bid to improve the toll process in the country via electronic toll collection, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has announced the sale of FASTags online starting August 18, 2017. The regulatory body that looks after the upkeep of national highways will be retailing FASTags on the NHAI, Issuer Banks and Indian Highways Management Company Limited (IHMCL) websites, while the tags will also be made available through Common Services Centre (CSC) near toll plazas. In addition, NHAI has announced that it will have exclusive FASTag lanes operational at toll plazas starting September 1, 2017.
Customers purchasing the tags online will have the same delivered to their door step, while the CSCs will immediately hand over the same. NHAI says, the move will increase the sale of FASTags by improving availability and access. The government has been taking steps to introduce electronic toll collections for smoother and faster operations at tolls and this should improve things further.
Long traffic jams at toll plazas aren't exactly new and a common problem across most states. The use of FASTags also falls in-line with the government's initiative to bring transparency in finances.
The government aims to have Hybrid Electronic Toll Collections in place that will cater to cash and FASTag transactions at a plaza. Work involving integration of RFID readers in all the Toll Plaza lanes is already under progress and is likely to be completed by October 31, 2017.
Out of all Hybrid Lanes, at least one shall be exclusively dedicated for FASTag vehicles where no other mode of toll payment shall be accepted.
