FASTag Is Mandatory For Your Car. Here Is How You Can Buy FASTag
FASTag news: FASTags have been made mandatory for driving vehicles on highways from Sunday. The radio frequency identification (RFID)-based FASTag is a prepaid tag facility that enables cashless automatic deduction of toll charges, which means it lets the vehicle pass through the toll plaza without stopping for a cash transaction. The FASTags were to be implemented by the government across the country by December 1, but the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MORTH) extended the FAStag deadline to December 15 for the convenience of vehicle owners. (Also Read: FASTag: How To Use, Benefits, Charges, Other Details)
The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) has also relaxed its previous order which mandated declaration of all the toll lanes into RFID-based FasTag lanes. The move is aimed at minimising inconvenience to general public but is a temporary measure.
Accordingly, depending on the traffic pile-up at high traffic volume fee plazas, not more than 25 per cent FasTag lane of fee plaza maybe temporarily converted to hybrid lanes.
FASTag deadline: Here is how you can buy FASTags for your vehicles:
All the major banks are offering the FASTag payment facilities. The FASTag is linked to the customer's savings account, and ensures automatic deduction of the toll fee from the account when the registered vehicle passes through a toll plaza.
Here is the fee charged by State Bank of India for issuing the FASTags across various vehicle categories:
| Particulars | Security Amount | Minimum Balance |
|---|---|---|
| Car / Jeep / Van/ Tata Ace and similar mini light commercial vehicle | 200 | 100 |
| Light Commercial Vehicle | 300 | 140 |
| Three Axle Commercial Vehicles | 400 | 300 |
| Bus/Truck | 400 | 300 |
| 4 to 6 axle | 400 | 300 |
| 7 or More Axle | 400 | 300 |
| Heavy Construction Machinery (HCM)/Earth Moving Equipment (EME) | 400 | 300 |
| Source: fastag.onlinesbi.com | ||
Radio-frequency identification (RFID)-based FASTag is affixed on the windscreen of the vehicle. The FASTag platform allows for direct payment of fee from the linked prepaid or bank account.
From Sunday, the vehicles without a FASTag will be charged double the fee in cash for passing through a FASTag-only lane, according to a Ministry of Road Transport and Highways statement in July.
Axis Bank is offering door-step delivery of FASTags. Axis Bank customers as well as non-customers of the bank can buy FASTags online from its network of over 4,200 bank branches across the country.
Axis Bank is offering 5 per cent cash back on recharge with Axis Credit/Debit cards, in addition to 2.5 per cent cash back provided by NHAI- Anytime, anywhere FASTag recharge.
FASTag can also be purchased from the Bank section of Airtel Thanks App. Airtel Payments Bank is offering a special benefit of Rs 50 cashback on FASTag purchase made via the app.
To buy a FASTag from Airtel Payments Bank a customers need to share a copy of the vehicle's Registration Certificate (RC) and registration number.