[yoscenario2000]

Mumbai will not have to rush to get a FASTag for Electronic Toll Payments (ETC) as the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) has decided to implement the scheme across state roads from January 1.

This comes as a breather for motorists in Mumbai and those using state highways as all national highways, including the Old Mumbai-Pune highway as well as new expressway will adopt FASTag from December 1.

It will only be from January 1 that FASTag as a mode of ETC will be implemented on two lanes each of the five entry points of Mumbai along with Rajiv Gandhi Sea Link and other state highways by the MSRDC. Considering the heavy rush of vehicles at the toll plazas during morning and evening peak hours, FASTag-enabled lanes will be restricted to two lanes at Mumbai’s entry points initially. FASTag-enabled lanes will be eventually increased to four and five.

Fastag would be mandatory on Maharashtra State Highways from 1st January 2020. So there is still some time for Mumbai residents.

Courtesy: Indian Express dated 22 Nov 2019.
https://indianexpress.com/article/ci...jan-1-6131145/

[ramanan.skr]

Originally Posted by yoscenario2000

I've recieved icici fastag on 4th day from ordering online here in Mumbai.

Is there any online facility to see the application status on icici website?? Today is the 4th day, I have no sms or mail response regarding my application done online

[yoscenario2000]

Originally Posted by ramanan.skr

Is there any online facility to see the application status on icici website?? Today is the 4th day, I have no sms or mail response regarding my application done online

To know about FASTag applications status, you can call 24x7 customer care @ Toll Free Number: 1800 2100 104 (Chargeable Number:1860 2670 104)

[rajivtelang]

Originally Posted by ramanan.skr

Is there any online facility to see the application status on icici website?? Today is the 4th day, I have no sms or mail response regarding my application done online

That's why I went to dealer and got it done assuming online process will be lethargic given 1st December as the deadline. I was about to do exactly as you did but at the last moment thought to give a try at dealer and it worked.
Why don't you try cancelling that and visit a dealer instead?

[diyguy]

Why aren't they using the smart cards like most other countries? Are they trying to remain low cost? The metro card should have ideally been an option in cities with metros.
Maybe that will be the gen2 avatar of this rfid sticker?

[Pancham]

Guys what about new cars that haven't got their smart card yet. Will the car not be allowed to ply on highways till it's gets its smart card and then another 10-15 days for the fastag?

[itwasntme]

Originally Posted by hangover

This fast tag is being implemented by a private company called Indian highways mgnt. Co.
As per the records at registrar of companies it’s main businesses are: Legal, accounting, book-keeping and auditing activities; tax consultancy; market research and public opinion polling; business and management consultancy
None of that seems remotely related to rfid or taking your kyc and bank details.
It’s other partners are toll concessionaires (pvt.) and pvt. banks plus two or three psu banks.
Also why do they need to be involved in public opinion polling?
Seems very shady. Do you trust them with your money?

Not sure why you're so worried!

1. IHMCL is indeed a private company under the Companies Act but is ~42% owned by NHAI, ~33% by various private road concessionaires and the balance ~25% by leading FIs. In fact it operates out of the NHAI HO in Dwarka.

2. While their scope of business is indeed wide-ranging and may not capture their focus areas, it is not uncommon to see this with companies which are in an evolving field/area.

3. 'Public opinion polling' is related to the fact that they are among the leading traffic survey organizations in India which involves estimating traffic loads before, during and after awarding concessions involving road projects. It is not 'shady' in the least.

I'd say you are far more at risk handing over your KYC to a telecom operator or credit card issuer than with IHMCL.

[yoscenario2000]

As a layman, I would really appreciate this fastag mandatory step. Reason is that it would definitely void out all illegal cash transactions without toll reciepts or duplicate/forged toll reciepts which are not accounted in the system.

And thus in return, this move will restrict toll contractors to collect hard earned money from people even after completion of collection of intial contract value.

Now coming to actual implementation part, yes it would definitely take some time to streamline the process. But as it is said, every change is always difficult to implement with consequences like resistance, initial hick ups and so on. But in longer terms, it would be beneficial for all. The main thing which worries me is about maintenance and upkeeping the system in flawless working conditions by toll operating systems.

[ruzbehxyz]

Used the Fastag today for the first time on Mumbai-Pune expressway. At the toll from Lonavala the amount was deducted as required. However at the Khalapur toll, there was too much crowd so the barriers were opened to allow cars to pass without checking. Can this lead to blacklisting of the Fastag as it was not used during exit ?

[yoscenario2000]

Originally Posted by ruzbehxyz

Used the Fastag today for the first time on Mumbai-Pune expressway. At the toll from Lonavala the amount was deducted as required. However at the Khalapur toll, there was too much crowd so the barriers were opened to allow cars to pass without checking. Can this lead to blacklisting of the Fastag as it was not used during exit ?

Nope.

As you've mentioned that all vehicles were allowed to pass, that means fastag scanners were disabled in that lane. So nothing to worry about. But do check your fastag account balance for your vehicle after 24 hrs for debit transaction and if you find any discrepancy about transaction, report it online, you should get refund.

[narayans80]

Originally Posted by Pancham

Guys what about new cars that haven't got their smart card yet. Will the car not be allowed to ply on highways till it's gets its smart card and then another 10-15 days for the fastag?

Fastag has nothing to do with your RC. As long as your tag is active and has money in it, it will work. I had done 3 trips on highway before I got my RC.

[audioholic]

Originally Posted by diyguy

Why aren't they using the smart cards like most other countries? Are they trying to remain low cost? The metro card should have ideally been an option in cities with metros.
Maybe that will be the gen2 avatar of this rfid sticker?

Simple reason that Fastag is issued per vehicle and is not transferable. It is issued per vehicle since the toll charges for different classes of vehicle is different. Hence if it is made transferable between vehicles then a person might take a tag meant for a car and use it in his truck to avail cheaper tolls. Of course you could implement a system that can detect class of vehicle and deduct the corresponding toll amount. However that can always lead to disputes. Using a common card for toll payment will also cause conflict when there are more than one cards in a single vehicle.
One alternate I can think of is to use tap to pay credit or debit cards at toll booths which can be very easy to use and quick also. I am not sure if the NHAI is thinking of this idea for the non Fastag users or very occasional highway travellers. It will be far more efficient compared to people entering the lane without balance in Fastag and blocking the whole lane for sometime to argue with the toll attendants and stuff like that.

[ank.nsit]

Originally Posted by boniver

...
Basically, a blank tag is given to you and you can recharge it as and when you need to. NHAI is paying the card fee and the security deposit on your behalf.
...

Which bank is the tag tied up to? And how do you get the tag recharged?

[hangover]

Assuming full fTag happens, will we need a toll plaza at all?

Sensors can read your tag anywhere on the toll road highway. Can’t they?

If everyone has it, then we will all save driving time by eliminating all toll plazas.

Then there is no need for a tender and it’s inherent corruption to appoint a toll concessionaire at all.

Govt. gets its money directly from drivers.

[silversteed]

Originally Posted by hangover

Assuming full fTag happens, will we need a toll plaza at all?

Sensors can read your tag anywhere on the toll road highway. Can’t they?

If everyone has it, then we will all save driving time by eliminating all toll plazas.

Then there is no need for a tender and it’s inherent corruption to appoint a toll concessionaire at all.

Govt. gets its money directly from drivers.

Such a system is in use in Germany, called Toll-Collect. An On-Board Unit (OBU) installed in the truck debits the toll for the distance covered on tolled roads, using GPS. It's devoid of any manual intervention and the toll collection in no way affects the traffic flow.

We have a huge gap between what's promised vs what's delivered. I would conclude thus: I'll believe it when I see FASTag implemented flawlessly and reliably across the country. This is beyond my reservations on the system of collecting toll in addition to having to pay road tax for 15 years, while a vehicle stays with a private owner for only a fraction of this period.