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The National Highways Authority of India’s FASTags, which are basically RFID tags attached on vehicles that can be used for electronic payment on toll plazas, can now be bought online and offline through common services centres near toll plazas.
While one app is for retail users, another app — FASTag Partner — can be used by agencies only.
The steps, taken in consultation with RBI and National Payment Corporations of India, will allow retail users to purchase FASTags online from NHAI, IHMCL (Indian Highways Management Company Ltd)and various issuing banks’ websites, and the tags will be delivered via courier within two days.
The online sale of FASTags starts on August 18.
My FASTag is a customer mobile app, where highway users can purchase and recharge their FASTag and keep track of the electronic toll collection transactions.
Another app — FASTag Partner — can be used by agencies, CSCs and vehicle dealers to upgrade the RFID tags attached in 74 lakh vehicles sold since 2013, to FASTags. There are six lakh tags in use currently.
“The apps were launched primarily to sharply improve the sale of FASTags,” Akhilesh Kumar Srivastava, CGM-IT, NHAI, said on the sidelines.
These apps can be used for purchase, recharge and grievance redressal of FASTags.
With effect from September 1, at least one lane of 371 toll plazas — the innermost lane on both sides — will be used as the exclusive tolling booth, said Deepak Kumar, Chairman, NHAI.
Moreover, with effect from October, all the lanes of toll plazas will become electronic toll collection-enabled, allowing people to pay either through cash or electronically.
NHAI collected ₹235 crore in July as toll charges through digital mode. The authority collects about ₹12,000 crore in a year as toll charges. In the 371 toll plazas, it has installed ETCs in 365 booths.
Following Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s drive for a cashless economy, NHAI has been working on installation and efficient execution of electronic toll collection infrastructure at all the toll plazas under its jurisdiction.
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