Centre extends deadline for FASTag toll collection till February 15
Hindustan Times, New Delhi | Byhindustantimes.com| Edited by: Harshit Sabarwal
Dec 31, 2020 02:24 PM IST
The deadline was earlier set to January 1 with transport minister Nitin Gadkari saying that FASTag will be mandatory for all vehicles in the country
The Union transport ministry on Thursday extended the deadline for collection of toll charges on National Highways (NH) through the FASTag system till February 15. The deadline was earlier set to January 1 with transport minister Nitin Gadkari saying that FASTag will be mandatory for all vehicles in the country.
Speaking at a virtual summit last week, Gadkari had said that the electronic toll collection system was useful for commuters as they would not be required to stop at toll plaza for cash payments, adding that it also saves time and fuel. Making FASTags compulsory would also ensure that vehicles pass seamlessly through toll plazas as payment would be done on an electronic basis.
The transport ministry had issued a notification in November which said that FASTag was mandatory from next year for old vehicles that were sold before December 1, 2017.
FASTag is an electronic toll collection system in India which is operated by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI). It was launched in 2016; in two years, their number crossed 3.4 million. As per the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989, since December 1, 2017, FASTag had been made mandatory for registration of new four-wheelers. It has also been mandated that renewal of the fitness certificate of a vehicle will be done only if it has the electronic tag.