Vehicles with non-functional FASTag to be charged double toll fee: Govt

Vehicles with invalid or non-functional FASTag will be charged double the toll fee applicable on the national highways, the government said on Sunday.

Before this amendment, the user of vehicle was to pay twice on the fee plaza only if the vehicle didn't carry the FASTag and entered in dedicated lane for the tag.

"User of the vehicle not fitted with FASTag or vehicle without valid, functional 'FASTag' entering into 'FASTag lane' of the Fee plazas shall pay a fee equivalent to two times of the fee applicable to that category of vehicles," as per a notification issued by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways.

The amendment in the National Highways Fee (Determination of Rates and Collection) Rules was done in exercise of the powers conferred on the central government.

The government had made FASTags mandatory from December 15, 2019.

A total of 1.68 crore FASTags have been issued across the country till the beginning of May 2020.

FASTag employs Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology for making toll payments on national highways directly from the prepaid or savings account linked to it. A prepaid tag, fixed on vehicles' windscreen, allows automated deduction of toll charges, and lets any vehicle pass through a toll plaza with zero human contact.