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

[ROG_AK]

Finally got the HDFC FASTag. Got the message that the tag was activated before I got it, so is there anything else I need to do? RC book was uploaded during the registration process.

[paragsachania]

The joke called FASTag after a bigger joke was announced that things will change from Oct 1 and that cash vehicles won't be allowed in FASTag lanes.

This was today morning, Devihalli toll Plaza towards Hassan:

[NPV]

Fastag experience on Hosur road today:
Onward:
1. BETL down ramp - about 15 vehicles in each lane, one of attendants came walking along the lines and was accepting cash and giving pre-printed receipts to help quicker movement. The Fastag lane continued to remain dedicated, so moved quite quickly

2. Attibele - 2 long trucks were patiently waiting in line and I joined at the tail behind the second truck. Just as the truck in front of me started moving into the lane, 2 interstate buses, one a TNSTC bus and the other a KSRTC one, arrived on the scene almost same time and without any regard to the waiting line of vehicles, they try to nudge the truck from either side and nose their way into the lane. The trucker did not relent and went in first. I slowed down as I didn't want to compete with these morons and avoided a sandwich situation
I let both the buses move ahead and then followed them, took about 5 minutes totally

Return:
3. Attibele - Long line, fastag lane entry wasn't visible but knowing it is lane 2 from left, I just followed a truck who was also aligning himself to the same lane. Meanwhile the vehicles to my right who were poised for lane 3 & 4 started cutting in front of the truck ahead of me and caused a delay. However, once the truck moved in to the fastag lane, it was easy for me to go in as well and that's when I see the other cars moving to lane 3, 4 etc - those fools were trying to gate crash into the fastag lane and were shooed away by the guard - when will these guys learn ?

4. BETL up ramp - of the 2 Fastag lanes, the one on left had about 5-6 vehicles mostly buses and 1 car and I reached there behind the last car. Suddenly I see that that the line of cars that were next to me are moving to other lanes on the right (again these guys were jostling to get into the fastag lane and were redirected by guards). All I had to do was show the guard the fastag on the windshield and take the fastag lane on right that was totally free

[Gannu_1]

Originally Posted by ROG_AK

Finally got the HDFC FASTag. Got the message that the tag was activated before I got it, so is there anything else I need to do?

Test if the tag is working and isn't showing up as blacklisted?

[theredliner]

Originally Posted by paragsachania

The joke called FASTag after a bigger joke was announced that things will change from Oct 1 and that cash vehicles won't be allowed in FASTag lanes.

FASTag should be renamed WASTag.

I was stuck in a long queue last Sunday in the Nelamangala Expressway tollbooth. When I confronted the guy as to why all vehicles were allowed in the FASTag lane, he said that they do it 'only' on Saturdays and Sundays to reduce congestion. When I asked him what would be the use of opting for FASTag, he replied in the usual adjust madkolli tone "Only two days, sir. All other days we allow only FASTag vehicles."

Same was the case in the booth mentioned by you. FASTag booth were reserved only in the Nelligere and Hirisave toll plazas which hardly had any pile up. There is no use of the tag other than not having to search for cash. If they want to open the booth for everyone, they should at least let the FASTag vehicles go free of charge as compensation IMO.

[_chikku]

After some frustrating experience in toll Booths in the last month I had complained about it in one of the NHAI sites. Got this reply last week .
Surprised that no where they mentioned fastag. It was ETC = electronic toll collection I think

[rk_sans]

Folks who have bought fastags from Equitas, they now have an app in playstore. Not so user friendly. I was very annoyed about them not having it and each time used to use the browser.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/d....equitas&hl=en

[arun_josie]

Originally Posted by paragsachania

The joke called FASTag after a bigger joke was announced that things will change from Oct 1 and that cash vehicles won't be allowed in FASTag lanes.

This was today morning, Devihalli toll Plaza towards Hassan:

Attachment 1691511

Here comes the next joke, FASTag mandatory for all new 4-wheelers from December 1: Road Ministry.
http://www.moneycontrol.com/news/ind...y-2427605.html

They keep making announcements, but nothing gets implemented .

[audioholic]

Originally Posted by arun_josie

Here comes the next joke, FASTag mandatory for all new 4-wheelers from December 1: Road Ministry.
http://www.moneycontrol.com/news/ind...y-2427605.html

They keep making announcements, but nothing gets implemented .

Shouldnt they first make the existing system robust and then implement such rules? If not at least let them do a DeMo on tolls and mandate ETC for all vehicles. Then things will come to one form. Even if that happens, I can still imagine people with no balance in tag lining up and delaying the process.

My dream of an ideal situation would be to make half the lanes ETC and the other half cash. At least if we have multiple fastag lanes we can hope that one out of the two or three lanes will be dedicated and functional. Let the rest of the world go and sit in the cash lane. Also, if they just change the existing lane based system to one which has a barrier right at the start of the lane which will open only when a tag is detected, most of the problems will be solved. Now we have manually controlled lanes which will lead to problems like bullying, crowd accumulation and so on. Let them just keep a barrier somewhere that opens only when a tag with the car is detected. That will make the others mind their own business. But not all my dreams have come true though

[arun_josie]

Originally Posted by audioholic

Shouldnt they first make the existing system robust and then implement such rules? If not at least let them do a DeMo on tolls and mandate ETC for all vehicles. Then things will come to one form. Even if that happens, I can still imagine people with no balance in tag lining up and delaying the process.

The Ministry is not in Sync with what is happening at the ground-level. Or they are really not bothered about this system and just come up with some random announcements.

As you said, this system will be effective only if all vehicles have Fastag, otherwise its just a cashless payment option and nothing else. Might help if the traffic is less.

Let them just keep a barrier somewhere that opens only when a tag with the car is detected. That will make the others mind their own business. But not all my dreams have come true though

This is what will happen, Non fastag guy will go and stop, the barrier will open if the guy behind him has fastag . This has happened with me once in one of the toll towards Kanyakumar/Chennai, the guy in front didn't have fastag, but the barrier opened for my tag.

[govigov]

I had an interesting drive last weekend. The fasttag worked on all the places, I drove from cochin to tirupati via bangalore.

Paliyekkara toll at trichur has now started a dedicated lane for fastag vehicles which I was able to use on the return leg. On the onward leg, the fastag lane was not a dedicated lane.

The fasttag lanes at PamPamPallam at walayar also did not have dedicated lanes.

Attible toll was a nightmare on the return leg with many buses and lorries jostling for space for that entry. The onward leg was fine as I reached the toll at wee hours.

[airbus]

Completed Bengaluru - Tirupati - Bengaluru trip yesterday. FASTag worked fine in all the three toll plazas for our onward journey. But on return journey at Mulbagal toll plaza FASTag lane was closed and I entered the next lane and demanded hand scan, they let me pass without paying toll. Saved at least 20 minutes at Hoskote toll plaza, as google map immediately dropped remaining travel time by 20 minutes moment I crossed Hoskote toll plaza using the FASTag lane

I have noticed that round trip benefit was automatically given for same day return

[sachinpk]

Looks like the government is on a firm mood to get FasTag made more popular
FASTag mandatory for new cars from Dec. 1

[audioholic]

Originally Posted by airbus

Saved at least 20 minutes at Hoskote toll plaza, as google map immediately dropped remaining travel time by 20 minutes moment I crossed Hoskote toll plaza using the FASTag lane

I have noticed that round trip benefit was automatically given for same day return

This is the only stretch where I have been observing a consistent implementation of Fastag from almost two years. Especially the Hoskote guys deserve appreciation for giving their best efforts to keep the Fastag lane working and exclusive. I have passed the toll both ways over 20 times in the last six months and not once was there a problem. If the system does not work, the lane is let for free and this has happened twice. Rather, they dont stop the line or do manual scanning. Also, the entrance to the lane being well ahead of the toll booth makes most people take the regular lane since the queue only begins after the entrance. A lot of locals have taken Fastag and hence they know the system well.

Surprising fact is, the Hoskote and Mulbagal tolls are owned by LANCO and the implementation is top notch, whereas the same LANCO owned tolls on the Bangalore-Hassan highway are just pathetic in keeping the system running well. This makes me believe its the problem with the locals rather than the policy makers. They should be fined for such instances where Fastag is not working or the lane is not exclusive.

[tharian]

Originally Posted by sachinpk

Looks like the government is on a firm mood to get FasTag made more popular
FASTag mandatory for new cars from Dec. 1

It makes sense as long as the machines at the toll plaza works fine.
If it is implemented, there is no more Q's at toll booths, except slowing down which should not create a jam.

The other concern is what happens when there is no sufficient balance in the account for whatever reasons.