Team-BHP - FASTag: All you need to know about procuring & using it!

Did a Chennai _ Kodumudi — Chennai trip on the Diwali holidays and got a chance to test my FASTag which I got though HDFC bank. Took Mambakkam - (Chengalpattu - Thiruporur Road) and bypassed Paranur toll plaza.

Here is the update about FASTag on both onward and return journeys:

Towards Kodumudi:
1. Athur(Tindivanam) toll plaza - FASTag facility not available. Paid through cash.
2. Vikravandi(Villupuram) toll plaza - Non-FASTag cars are allowed on FASTag lane. However, FASTag got detected and no issues.
3. Sengurichi toll plaza - FASTag not detected. Went back and forth for the tag to get detected. Not sure whether the tag got detected, but gate opened and I went through. However, when checked the website, the amount was not deducted yet.
4. Veeracholapuram toll plaza - Tag got detected. Seamless experience.
5. Nathakarai toll plaza - Tag got detected. Seamless experience.
6. Mettupatti toll plaza - Tag got detected. Seamless experience.
7. Rasampalayam toll plaza - Tag got detected. Seamless experience. Also, did multiple runs in this toll plaza for the last few days between Namakkal and Kodumudi. Return amount got correctly deducted and no over deduction of any sort.

Towards Chennai:
1. Rasampalayam toll plaza - Tag got detected. Seamless experience.
2. Mettupatti toll plaza - Tag got detected. Seamless experience.
3. Nathakarai toll plaza - Tag got detected. Seamless experience.
4. Veeracholapuram toll plaza - Tag got detected. Seamless experience.
5. Sengurichi toll plaza - FASTag not detected. Checked via a handheld device, but the gate was not opened. So, I was asked to use the normal lane and tell the operator that tag got deducted. I took the normal lane and told the same. The gate was opened by the operator.
6. Vikravandi(Villupuram) toll plaza - Tag got detected. Seamless experience.
7. Athur(Tindivanam) toll plaza - FASTag facility not available. Paid through cash.

Few days back I went through the airport toll at Bangalore. The FASTag did not work, same happened to the car in front who reversed and went forward few times and did not work. He then used the escape path to get into the cash counter. While waiting there, FASTag for the cars behind me did not work and they eventually let them all go.

When it was my turn I asked the attender to get the hand held scanner and scan my fastag. After only few seconds he just opened the gate and told me to go. Sad part is the car in front of me whose fastag did not work, he paid cash and bought the ticket and I got a free pass.

Quote:

Originally Posted by NPV (Post 4293267)

Last week while returning from the airport early morning around 7am, there was a guard manning the fastag lane and the lights were green even before I entered the lane, they continued to remain green as I drove through slowly and exited. However, I did not notice the boom barrier at all, has it been removed ?

*Did not receive the SMS for the toll deduction so far

Same experience here for the last few times. But I noticed a ANPRS (Automated Number Plate Recognition System) camera which might be automatically deciphering the numbers.

HOWEVER, the KIAL toll has anyway not been debiting my account even using handheld scanners or the boom system :-). So it has been free for quite some time now:D

KSRTC buses to have Fastag
Link

Good move, I have seen TNSTC buses using Fastag. However the timing mentioned in the article looks bit optimistic.

Quote:

KSRTC’s new initiative is expected to shorten the journey time. According to KSRTC officials, “The journey in long routes will be cut down to minimum 60 minutes. KSRTC buses, which travel from Bengaluru to Mumbai, take 18 hours to reach, but after getting the digital tag, it takes only 16 to 17 hours.”

Quote:

Originally Posted by SunnyBoi (Post 4293266)

.....Sad part is the car in front of me whose fastag did not work, he paid cash and bought the ticket and I got a free pass.

Is it not a happy ending ? :) It would have been a sad feeling for him if you stopped him way ahead and told him "see I passed free, you paid" !!

Quote:

Originally Posted by itwasntme (Post 4293276)

...KIAL toll has anyway not been debiting my account even using handheld scanners or the boom system...

I have never seen it working till date. Neither the one at Devanahalli toll (towards HYD). I have passed that way 3 times in the last 30 days (to Indian Paratha House, NH7 Refuel and Prestige Golfshire), all 3 times I got a nod and go ahead gesture from the toll booth boy !

Summary: I have already made my cost of the fastag by passing through FREE :D

Quote:

Originally Posted by tud (Post 4292503)

Speaking of fastag, this man seems to have procured the fastestag and proudly shows it off with a video :deadhorse. Its voiced in Tamil, but language is not a barrier to watch this.
https://goo.gl/LxbZuK

PS - I'm not endorsing this activity! Although this does look like a cool party trick lol:

It makes us feel stupid when we see such people taking advantage of political party names. I have experienced some SUV drivers (with political party flags on the bonnet) criss-crossing the lanes while waiting in long queues in toll gates and try to crush us when we near the booth. Finally I had to give in to their atrocity :Frustrati since I did not want my car to get a dent.

Quote:

Originally Posted by pedrolourenco (Post 4286703)

. Suppose you cut the tag along the red lines, will there be any problem? The rest of the tag appears to be just a sticker which looks quite ugly.

Quote:

Originally Posted by audioholic (Post 4287272)

Here is the strip down of the Fastag as promised :D

While this seems quite easy and harmless to the functionality of the tag itself, I think it may pose another issue. In many tolls where the FASTag lane is closed with a barricade, the security posted there might not be able to visually identify that there is a tag pasted (due to absence of the familiar white rectangular sticker), and one may have to point out it's location or explain that there is indeed a tag pasted. This may be a hiccup until the entire system becomes streamlined and no longer requires visual identification of FASTag vehicles.

Today I have received fast tag from PAYTM. After placing order and making payment, after 3 days I got SMS and Mail messages to upload RC copy of my vehicle. On uploading the RC copy, I got confirmation mail message that it has been shipped from Delhi. A detailed tracking was also provided. On receipt today I logged into my paytm account, checked for balance loaded in the tag. It was showing Rs.150 is available. Checked up with Paytm how to load balance in the fastag, they conveyed that you need to maintain balance in your paytm wallet and fastag balance will be automatically updated with wallet balance.

I have had a terrible experience with PayTM - got my tag 2 months back, and after a dozen calls and emails, its still not activated yet. They just make me email the RC copy (done that for a record 10 times) and nothing good comes out of it.

I am pushing them for a refund now (hoping that refund process would be simpler) - I know ICICI is a longer process, but the tag works from Day 1 and its reasonably convenient with its payments online).

Last 2 round trips (in last 1 month) from Bangalore to Chennai raised a doubt in my mind about the usage of fastags. It was really pathetic experience. Fastag lanes in Electronic city down ramp towards Hosur, Attibele toll and Krishnagiri toll plazas allowed non-fastag vehicles and were collecting cash. The single fastag lane at walajah and sriperumbudur were so crowded with slow moving trailer trucks that it was easy to use non fastag lane, pay cash and move ahead. Using non fastag lane by paying cash would have been faster for sure. And please note this was not during the festival rush hour. It was during non-peak period. I cant imagine what the situation will be during peak festival/weekend period rush. I have been a fastag user for more than 1.5yrs and encouraged my friends and relatives to take one by demonstrating its advantages. Now I have a serious doubt that fastag is effective and saves time, money, fuel wastage and reduces pollution. Im contemplating not to use it from my next trip onwards.