[hyd_traveller]

Originally Posted by Majumdarda

That means P-2. I also have that position in mind. Strangely in office, I have observed cars to be having their Fastags pasted in P-3 position. If that would have been one or two, I would have ignored, but it's basically the same in all the car's I observed at the company parking.

P2 is the best position in your case.

[condor]

Originally Posted by Majumdarda

Also please advise what is the next best position to paste the Fastag.

I have it at the spot to the left of P-1 ( as seen facing the car). No problems faced. The automatic reader has never had a problem. If it is a hand-held reader, at most the guy has had to stretch a bit, and the tag is read.

Suggest no for P-4 / P-5.

[vvijayakrishnan]

Just finished an up and down journey in Trichy - Chennai route. Out of the 6 toll booths, 4 take fastag and 2 don't. The Chengulpet and Athur (after Tindivanam and before Melmaruvathur) toll booths don't accept fastag. Enquiry didn't yield any satisfactory answer. Anyway it was way too much crowded due to long weekend holidays for further probe. The process at accepting toll booths were smooth and speedy. They also had dedicated lane and was vigilant to allow only fastag vehicles.
I have fastag from Equitas. This is my first experience with fastag. Received SMS too. Need to say the experience till now was satisfactory and pleasant. Except of course for not enforcing fastag at all toll booths though NHAI website lists these wayward booths also as one with fastag facility.

[airbus]

Originally Posted by Majumdarda

Also please advise what is the next best position to paste the Fastag.

I have my FASTag at P-3 position. It worked fine during my recent trip to Goa. It seems for manual scanning they don't need to come too near to the FASTag. One person did hand scan from 2 - 3 feet distance, can be seen in last part of my video in the post #1598

[vvijayakrishnan]

Originally Posted by Majumdarda

Also please advise what is the next best position to paste the Fastag.

I have placed my fastag though not perfectly between either P1 or P2 but in between those two positions. During my recent journey, on one side they used manual scanners and on the other it was automatic. In my opinion, the position doesn't seen very important as long as it is recognizable and easy to scan.

I had pasted by fastag not directly but firstly over a thin transparent film (used for mobile screen) and then that was pasted on wind shield with tape. This was done due my own doubts about Jn which position to paste the fastag.

[paragsachania]

At times, the authorities love to crack some jokes, like these:

All lanes at toll plazas to have FASTag sensors soon

BENGALURU: In order to promote the use of FASTags, the National Highway Authority of India is working on fixing sensors to recognise FASTags across all lanes at toll booths on highways.

Speaking to Express, Regional Officer, NHAI, Y Venkata Reddy Prasad, said, “The Hybrid Electronic Toll Collection (ETC) mode that permits cash and e-payment will be introduced shortly in all the 33 toll plazas in the state.” Since September 1, all toll plazas have earmarked one lane exclusively for FASTag users. However, motorists with FASTags are unaware of the dedicated lane and enter other lanes where they are forced to pay in cash, further adding to congestion in lanes.

Although this noble thought from the authorities has come quite late, there was another news (which was posted here anyway) on how non tagged vehicles entering tagged lanes will be fined:

Vehicles blocking FASTag lanes at toll plazas will be fined

…….“Such vehicles block the FASTag vehicles and hold up traffic. We deployed marshals from the beginning of this month to prevent this situation. Dedicated lanes are reserved for FASTag vehicles. There is a provision to impose fine, which is double the amount of toll fee, on non-FASTag vehicles making payments on dedicated lanes. We will introduce it soon,” he said.

On last week, I had made two trips, one to Hyderabad and another one from Chikmagalur and even during a non-peak travel time & day, I was quite disappointed about the way FASTag is managed on our highways while they keep advertising to commuters to buy these tags!

Toll Plaza: NBTL Toll Plaza, Tumkur Road
FASTag lane : Available
FASTag lane type: Dedicated
Status: Functional but cash vehicles also allowed by the guard manning the booth

Toll Plaza: Shantigrama
FASTag lane : Available
FASTag lane type: Dedicated
Status: Non- Functional (they asked me to take the next lane and said Scanner will work on that as well)

Toll Plaza: Kirisave
FASTag lane : Available
FASTag lane type: Dedicated
Status: Functional but cash vehicles also allowed and since lane next to that was free, I entered that lane only to be told by the booth staff that I need to pay cash as FASTag vehicles need to enter only FASTag lanes

I pulled over, walked towards their office and met the manager and explained my frustration and how I looked foolish to have a FASTag, still pay by cash because your own booths don’t follow a consistent pattern. The manager was cooperative and admitted that all has not been hunky-dory when it comes to the FASTag experience and also mentioned that from Oct 1 onwards they will have most of the lanes with these scanners and that they won’t allow non-tagged vehicles to enter the FASTag lanes.

• We need a system that is efficient, fool-proof and quick
• A consistent system across all NHAI booths equipped with FASTag with no exception even during Holidays or long weekends - Because that is what the famed tag is supposed to do, save time with long queues
• A stringent enforcement - Cough-up fine if you are foolish enough to enter a well marked FASTag lane (Educated fellas do it the most)

Before I forget, we are all ready to laugh with some humor that your booth staff is trained to deliver to frustrated commuters but not on statements like below:

• At Shantigrama Plaza, I was once told to wipe the windscreen as the scanner wouldn't read my Tag!
  
• At one of the booths on my return from Hyderabad last week, the guard manning the booth said I need to take the next lane as the scanner wasn't able to detect my tag (it eventually did) and when I asked why, he said due to rains!

[pdma]

FasTag lane update.



Cheers,
Pradeep.

[samcan123]

I just applied for paytm fastag a couple of days back. Today I saw some internet articles claiming that the RFID tag that is inbuilt with the vehicle can be used for ETC (electronic toll collection) also. Does this mean that an additional RFID tag is not necessary and the one that came with my car is sufficient? If so, how do I activate it? Though it would be simple to have only one RFID tag pasted on the windscreen, and not to have the paytm tag, I still have my concerns as to what would happen if I sell the car later on. Will the RFID tag be updated based on the name transfer done on that vehicle? Or should that be updated seperately by the new owner. Though I don't have any intention of selling my car, I just wanted to know how it works in such a case.

[mpksuhas]

Originally Posted by samcan123

Today I saw some internet articles claiming that the RFID tag that is inbuilt with the vehicle can be used for ETC (electronic toll collection) also.

Don't worry about that, the confusion is due to half baked ideas from different departments.

As anyone using Fastag will tell you, the issue with Fastag is not about procuring the tag but lack of enthusiasm at toll booths to implement the same. Previous two posts in this thread explains the situation.

However, the magic pill to avoid congestion and loss of revenue at toll booth seems to be pasting RFID tags from factory by vehicle manufacturers as per babus. The toll booths under their department meanwhile still have not working or non dedicated Fastag lanes.

The confusion is added thanks to journalists who keep publishing the same news in different wordings.

[_chikku]

Yesterday I travelled through NH75 and experience has been pathetic. Even same story at the nelamangala express way. ETC - electionic toll collection is the apt name for it, not FASTAG

[vnabhi]

Originally Posted by govigov

Keenly following this. My status is also issued, we were shipped and delivered tags at almost the same dates. I have not yet contacted PayTM for activation. Waiting to see how it turns out. I have a trip coming in the 3rd week of October, so if nothing materializes by end of next week, I would be calling them up.

Hey, any luck? None for me so far. I called again after a gap of a week, and went through the same rigmarole of sending the RC card to that email id.

If you are also in the same boat, this should discourage future applicants from taking the Paytm route.

[bejoy]

Originally Posted by SunnyBoi

Went thru Airport toll FASTag few days and and I wasn't charged! 3 out of 3 times it was free!

I don't know why the airport taxi fellows are striking against mandatory FASTag for their cars. They will only get to save a ton of money.

Status quo on Sept 30. IIRC they had manual scanner at the Fastag lane, never to be seen nowadays.

[Kelly66]

Originally Posted by Kelly66

Update Sep 25th:

I did not get a call back from HDFC till 21st. I called their customer care again on Sep 22nd and they gave me the contact no of G.Nagaraj (8884830900) of Sahaj in Blore to expedite the processing. Those who are interested can reach out to him.

I called him immediately and he asked me the send the documents (RC, DL, Aadhaar & PP photo) to his email id and also send screenshot of Rs.300/- payment. Even though he had over 200 cards to be issued, he said he will process it by Sep 26th.

Today, my card was activated and he delivered it to me in the evening. He asked me to stick it to the right of the rear view mirror since the left side has the factory fitted RFID. He said centre of windscreen is better compared to extreme left or right.

Let's hope all works well during my weekend long drive.

Went from Blore-Chennai-Pondy-Chennai-Blore last weekend and the experience with HDFC Fastag was smooth and flawless. Chennai to Pondy out of 4 tolls only 1 had ETC. Rest of the journey was completely on Fastag and I kept getting SMS' within 20-30 mins after the txn.

However, at many tolls non-Fastag users were using the ETC lane and delaying the process. Some had guards at the entrance. Hope they ensure this for all tolls in future.

[vnabhi]

Originally Posted by vnabhi

Hey, any luck? None for me so far. I called again after a gap of a week, and went through the same rigmarole of sending the RC card to that email id.

If you are also in the same boat, this should discourage future applicants from taking the Paytm route.

Finally, my Fastag shows an 'Active' status! I feel like I have reached the summit of Mt. Everest! I wish others don't suffer this long! As for me, I have no plans for a road journey this month, so the delay did not thwart any plans.

Below is the time taken:

1. Applied on September 11th

2. Uploaded RC on Sep 12th.

3. Fastag delivered on September 25th.

4. Called support on same day to have it activated. Was asked to wait for 24 to 48 hours.

5. Called them again on 26th. Was asked to send an email with RC scan. They said it will take max 48 hours to get activated.

6. Called them again today and was again asked to send a scanned copy, which I did. Another time frame of 24 to 48 hours was given.

Finally, around an hour ago, I could see the status on my Paytm app as 'Active'.

It is clear that they have a bunch of jokers in customer support. I hope my future experience with Paytm is good!

[govigov]

Originally Posted by vnabhi

Finally, around an hour ago, I could see the status on my Paytm app as 'Active'.

vnabhi,

Guess what? After I saw your message here, I logged into paytm and myfastag status now is active. After I received the tag, all I did was just wait.
I did not bother to call up customer care or follow up with them. I was a little apprehensive that you were asked to do all those additional steps. I am scheduled for an outstation trip on the last week of October and I was thinking I would just wait till about the 10th before following up with PayTM. Glad that the tag is active now.