FASTags to be available for free at toll plazas from November 22 till December 1

Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari has said that FASTags will be available for free at toll plazas from November 22.

The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) will provide FASTags free of cost until December 1 in order to encourage vehicle owners to move towards FAStags. It will also be available free of cost by NHAI at RTO offices and transport hubs. The security deposit of Rs. 150 will be borne by NHAI. Gadkari said this would approximately cost the government Rs 150-200 crore.

While the FASTags have been made available free of cost, the owner needs to link it to his bank account to pay the toll amount.

Gadkari said that 90 percent of the toll lanes have been made FASTag compliant.

Addressing the issue of double toll for cash payment of toll, Gadkari clarified that the vehicles entering the cash lane will not be penalised. From December 1, all but one lane will become FASTag lanes. Passing through these lanes would result in payment of double the toll amount as penalty.