FASTag on state highways: MSRDC misses Jan 1 deadline

While the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) was planning to implement the radio frequency identification (RFID)-based FASTags on all state

While the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) was planning to implement the radio frequency identification (RFID)-based FASTags on all state highways from January 1, 2020, it has now pushed the deadline to mid-January, officials confirmed.

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The FASTags be will be implemented on the Bandra-Worli sea link and the five entry/exit points of the city — Vashi, Dahisar, Airoli, LBS Marg and Mulund by the MSRDC. Meanwhile, the state road corporation has also sent a proposal to the Maharashtra government for mandatory usage of FASTags on all state highways, failing which invites penalty as adopted by the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI).

If accepted, commuters not opting for the FASTag lane will be charged double the toll amount.

Dr Bharat Bastewad, general manager for toll collection, MSRDC said, “We are looking at making all lanes FASTag except one on each side of the toll booths as per NHAI guidelines. We are in the process of procuring the necessary infrastructure for all the highways to be equipped with FASTag. As of now, FASTag is operational at the Mumbai-Pune Expressway and the NH 48 which is the old Mumbai-Pune highway.”

FASTag, an RFID sticker typically fixed to a vehicle’s windscreen, lets toll booths wirelessly and automatically deduct the fee, thereby not requiring a vehicle to stop. The tags were made mandatory countrywide for all new cars sold after December 1, 2017, as a measure to encourage digital payments and decongest toll booths.

It was made mandatory on all the national highways across India from December 15, 2019. On national highways, commuters not opting for the FASTag lane are charged double the toll amount.

A senior official from MSRDC said that unless the state government passes a notification, the corporation cannot impose the double toll rule, though necessary infrastructure will be in place.

While MSRDC operates 40 toll plazas, the state public works department operates 23 plazas.