The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) has issued an order making FASTags compulsory for all four-wheelers vehicles from January 1, 2021. The order, as per the ministry, is a step to boost digital payments across the country.
meanwhile, the government had already made FASTags compulsory for the registration of new four-wheelers since December 1, 2017, according to the Central Motor Vehicle Rules, 1989.
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The new order of compulsory FASTags will also apply to vehicles sold before December 1, 2017.
For the unware, a FASTag is a prepaid tag that automatically dedicates toll fee from an individual’s account whenever he drives through a toll plaza on the highways. The FASTag is usually affixed on the windscreen of the vehicle, and its radio-frequency identification (RFID) tech allows direct payment without requiring a vehicle to stop at the toll plaza.
To ensure people abide by the Ministry’s orders, the government has also said that from April 1, 2021, a valid FASTag will be a must for anyone seeking third-party vehicle insurance.
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MoRTH said, “It had further been mandated that the renewal of fitness certificate will be done only after the fitment of FASTag for the transport vehicles. Further that for national permit vehicles the fitment of FASTag has been mandated since October 1, 2019.”
The Ministry signed off adding that mandating the scheme will not only save people time but also fuel and plunging the chances of traffic jams at the toll plazas.
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The Ministry said, “The steps for ensuring the availability of FASTag at multiple channels are being made through physical locations and also through online mechanism so that the citizens can have them affixed at their vehicles within the next two months at their convenience.”
How can you get FASTags?
As of now, there are 22 different banks and channels available at the National Highway Toll Plaza from where one can get themselves a FASTags. One can also buy FASTags from e-commerce platforms such as Paytm, Amazon, and Flipkart.
HDFC bank users can get a FASTag from here
Axis bank users can get a FASTag from here
ICICI bank users can get a FASTag from here
Other bank account holders can check for the availability here
List of Banks that Issue FASTag
Axis Bank, ICICI Bank, IDFC Bank, State Bank of India, HDFC Bank, Karur Vysya Bank, Equitas Small Finance Bank, Kotak Mahindra Bank, Syndicate Bank, Federal Bank, South Indian Bank, Punjab National Bank, Punjab & Maharashtra Co-op Bank, Sarawat Bank, City Union Bank, IndusInd Bank, Yes Bank, Union Bank, Nagpur Nagarik Sahakari Bank Ltd are the banks certified by the NHAI to issue FASTAGs.
How To activate a FASTag?
Once you have purchased a FASTag, now you need to activate it. The FASTag can either be activated online or by visiting the bank.
To activate the FASTag online, follow these steps.
Step 1: Download ‘My FASTag’ mobile app from ‘Google Play Store’ or “App Store”
Step 2: Enter vehicle details on the app
Step 3: Link the FASTag with existing bank accounts
Note: You can link FASTags to any bank because FASTags are ‘bank-neutral’ so no bank is pre-assigned to when you purchase it online or through a POS terminal.
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Also, you can use the NHAI Prepaid wallet facility if you don’t want your FASTag to be linked with any bank account. The NHAI prepaid wallet allows you to add money and get the toll deducted if in case the user doesn’t want the FASTag to be linked with the bank.
