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

[Gannu_1]

Originally Posted by silversteed

Pampampallam/Walayar tollbooth also has dedicated FASTag lanes to the best of my knowledge, 3rd or 4th from the right while driving towards Coimbatore, and 2nd or 3rd from the left while driving towards Thrissur.

Plus it is manned manually like most of the dedicated lanes. Not sure if the OP missed it.

I am eagerly looking forward to the Palakkad drive on the fourth weekend this month. Hopefully, I should be able to cut down the travel time by at least 30 minutes if not more.

[ruzbehxyz]

The purpose of starting the thread is to discuss the entry /exit toll that we pay in the so called "Financial capital" of the country.
First of all the toll should be in round figures. Keeping it odd like 35 wastes about 5 seconds per car which overall adds to the delay when we are talking of hundreds of cars at a time. Secondly when the people are agreeing to pay why is there no fasttag or scanner for a prepaid system? There should be a prepaid card or scanner like a debit / credit card which automatically deducts the amount. And if the person has finished his amount then he can pay cash. We can use debit /credit card but no one wants to do that for 35 rupees and waste valuable time. So the digital idea is a total failure here as we are forced to use paper money.
Some questions that need to be answered:
1. Why is there Fast tag only at NH ?
2. With the advent of Digital India why do we still have to pay cash at the tolls around Mumbai ?
3. Why go around demonetising currency and promotting digital payments when we can't use the facility around Mumbai.
4. Understand that there is a monthly pass ( which acts as a digital medium) but what if I travel only 10 days in a month.
5. Why is there no return ticket (for 24 hours) which can easily save valuable time and fuel. There are many highway tolls which have return fares.
6. Why is there no prepaid system wherein the person can just pay at home before he travels and then just show his phone at the toll plaza ?

With the Vashi toll being built in the early 90's one can imagine the amount of fuel that has been wasted in so many years. It's not the money that people don't want to pay but it's the valuable time that everyone is fed up with.

[srinivasnvns]

Originally Posted by srinivasnvns

Fingers crossed on the second tag.

I received the second tag today; and Paytm sure knows how to goof up. The tag does not show up in the account. On calling them, even they were not able to see the tag at their end. The lady on the call took a complaint and promised a resolution in 48 business hours.

I think I have fallen into the 48 hours resolution vicious trap.

[Upgrade]

Finally the HDFC fastag that I applied on 1 October came on 28 October after many calls and mails to HDFC Bank and Sahaj executives.

HDFC Fastag has some flaws in the software implementation. When they create an account, they associate a vehicle number. Each account can have multiple wallets and each wallet can have multiple vehicles associated with it. This is where the problem is. While they created an accountand associated my vehicle to it, they didn't associate my car number to the wallet. In between someone too was given the same wallet number to him and he loaded 500 to my wallet. Eventually after lot of mails, they added my vehicle to my wallet and I could see it working.

In the entire process, I got the details of all the executives associated with HDFC Fastag. Let me know if anyone is having issue with HDFC Fastag. I'll share the contacts with you.

HDFC Fastag is the cheapest one to apply as you need to pay only 300. Also loading money using debit card didn't attract any additional charges. If there are no goof ups, your should be able to get it in 2 weeks.

[narayans80]

About the tags, from personal experience and hearing the experience from few others. Equitas has been the best in terms of turnaround times. I got the first tag in a day, the login details were sent the day of payment itself.

Had to order a replacement tag, as I had to replace the windshield. That too arrived on the 2nd day of payment.

The tags are shipped from Madurai, so the shipping time for other parts of the country may differ.

[MeetSC]

ICICI FasTag now supports UPI as well. So there is no need to pay any more charges for loading your Tag even if you don't have an ICICI Bank Account.

[Tygerman]

I recently got the delivery of my Dzire 2017. I have a RFID tag on it. Does anyone guide on how to get it started. I have not seen any signs of that being linked to my phone number. Its on my car windshield hence I am guessing its already procured .

[arun_josie]

Originally Posted by Tygerman

I recently got the delivery of my Dzire 2017. I have a RFID tag on it. Does anyone guide on how to get it started. I have not seen any signs of that being linked to my phone number. Its on my car windshield hence I am guessing its already procured .

That RFID is not linked to Fastag. So, you will have to purchase the Fastag just like anyone else.

[arun_kun]

Originally Posted by MeetSC

ICICI FasTag now supports UPI as well. So there is no need to pay any more charges for loading your Tag even if you don't have an ICICI Bank Account.

Did you figure out how to recharge via UPI?

[Nalin1]

I too got an SMS that said fastag can be recharged using UPI.

Pardon my ignorance. Can someone tell me how this UPI is used?

[MeetSC]

Originally Posted by arun_kun

Did you figure out how to recharge via UPI?

Originally Posted by Nalin1

I too got an SMS that said fastag can be recharged using UPI.

Pardon my ignorance. Can someone tell me how this UPI is used?

Yeah, the option is there while you recharge your tag. You can select the last option from the Payment Mode, which is UPI and enter you VPA (you can get it from your UPI application like PhonePe, Tez, etc.). Once you proceed, you will get a request in your UPI application which you can approve to get the payment credited to your tag. It's really simple once you get the hang of it. The only obvious drawback is that you can't use your credit card to recharge the tag. I had noticed the UPI option and used it successfully before getting the SMS.

[aspire]

Originally Posted by aspire

Had to change the windshield after it developed a crack :(, Applied for a new tag on 24th and applied for cancellation of the existing card on same date, till date the card has not been cancelled, and new one is not getting issued because there is an existing active card :(
Pathetic customer service from Equitas, on Saturday they went ahead and rejected my new card application!

Regards
Shailesh

Got my replacement Fastag yesterday, a good 2 weeks after putting in the request, however yet to get refund for my cancelled card.
Tag came as active, loaded form wallet, worked fine on BETL.
Regards
Shailesh

[Mr.Boss]

Ordered fastag through paytm on 23rd Oct and expected shipment on 7th Nov & Delivery by 13th Nov. Got a couple of SMS that my tag was activated successful and today I got refund in paytm wallet stating that my order was cancelled as the seller couldn't fulfill the order

Now what will happen to the 'so called activated tag'?

[vsun]

Originally Posted by Mr.Boss

Ordered fastag through paytm on 23rd Oct and expected shipment on 7th Nov & Delivery by 13th Nov. Got a couple of SMS that my tag was activated successful and today I got refund in paytm wallet stating that my order was cancelled as the seller couldn't fulfill the order

Now what will happen to the 'so called activated tag'?

Go to "your wallet" section of your paytm account, and see weather it is showing the "fastag" just beside the paytem wallet balance. If yes, click on it, and you will see "Manage Fastags", and by clicking on it, you can see your vehicle details and status of the fastag.
I think nothing regarding the fastag will be reflected in you paytm account, as your wallet got the refund.

[ROG_AK]

I went to the airport twice in the last few days, thought I would try my new tag and both times nothing happened after going through the FASTag lane. The security guard let me enter and the signal was already green, there was no attendant at the booth either. No message received and no money cut from the wallet. Not sure what to make of it! Will have to see if my tag is working at another toll I guess