Why use FAStag for cars which ply in city limit, asks RLD

FASTag is an electronic toll payment system that has been implemented across the national highways in the country since February 16.

Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) flayed the Centre on Wednesday for issuing an order seeking to levy a penalty for not putting FASTag on passenger and goods vehicles and asked why the tag was held important for vehicles that only plied within the city limits. The party demanded that the government withdraws the order.

The new feature has been introduced to ensure that payment of user fee is done through FASTag at toll plazas and the waiting time is reduced, said a government statement. (HT Photo | Representational image)

Party national spokesman Anupam Mishra said the government had made FASTag compulsory for all new vehicles when it was useless for those who didn’t travel beyond city limits. Mishra was addressing a press conference in Lucknow.

"Why should anyone who does not travel beyond city limits be forced to put a FASTag on his vehicle," Mishra questioned.

FASTag is an electronic toll payment system that has been implemented across the national highways in the country since February 16. The system works through a unique code for every vehicle enabling digital payment of the toll tax when the vehicle crosses the sensors attached at the toll plazas. As per NH Fee Rules 2008, any vehicle not fitted with FASTag or vehicle without valid, functional FASTag entering into the FASTag lane of the toll plaza shall pay a fee equivalent to two times the fee applicable to that category, road and highway ministry had said in a notification. Mandatory implementation of the FASTag system has also resulted in traffic delays at several toll plazas.

Made mandatory for each vehicle, the minimum price for Fastag is ₹200. All this, Mishra claimed was an organised loot.

He claimed the decision to do away with cash-lanes on toll-plazas would also be a reason for harassment of vehicle owners crossing the highways.

In a different statement, another party leader Anil Dubey criticised the Central government for an increase in the prices of LPG and diesel/petrol.