[paragsachania]

Originally Posted by paragsachania

I placed an order online via Equitas for a friend's vehicle we need to drive to Mumbai this weekend only after failing to get in touch with the 3 numbers of Equitas tag that I myself had posted here and the ICICI personnel at Bangalore Airport toll saying they no more sell tags.

I hope they deliver at least by Friday. Fingers crossed.

Like others have shared their feedback on Equitas tag and the turnaround time, I too had a pleasant experience with it.

I had placed an order online on Monday post noon and the tag was delivered on Wednesday by noon. This was less than 48 Hours for the delivery to Bangalore.

Perhaps the easiest way to get a FASTag today.

[sunil_k_u]

Hello,

Recently I purchased FASTag via FASTag app. I had chosen PayTM as the service provider/ Bank while purchasing it. PayTM took the order and regular SMS updates on processing the order was sent to my mobile. I was sent a link to upload my vehicle details/ RC after which the tag was shipped to me. I got an SMS saying that the FASTag has been enabled and is linked with my mobile number.

The interesting part begins now - I did not get any account details using which I can re-charge the FASTag, check the transaction history etc. I tried calling their toll free 1800-102-6480; the IVR asks for the last 7 digits of the tag number. It somehow doesn't accept my tag number (says 'invalid tag number) due to which I am unable to reach their customer care folks to resolve my issue. Sent an email to their customer care email - no response even after 2 days.

Have anyone faced such issues? Is there a way to reach PayTM FASTag customer care without entering the tag number? I am somewhat lost and looking for help.

Thanks,
Sunil.

[DejavuTrip]

Originally Posted by sunil_k_u

The interesting part begins now - I did not get any account details using which I can re-charge the FASTag, check the transaction history etc. I tried calling their toll free 1800-102-6480; the IVR asks for the last 7 digits of the

Use Paytm App in your phone to recharge and check transaction history. The wallet is used to auto-recharge Fastag currency. I had used Paytm to order Fastag and it was a smooth process. You seem to have linked it to Paytm in a roundabout fashion but the only way to recharge AFAIK is using Paytm if Paytm is your Fastag provider.

[binand]

Drove Bangalore-Mumbai today. All toll booths en route are fastag enabled. In particular, the Bankapura guys have managed to acquire a handheld scanner.

Well, not all. Had to pay cash at Hubli-Dharwad bypass and Airoli creek bridge. The latter has some sort of ETC arrangement though (I missed those lanes). And the former one can avoid by going through the two cities (evil grin)

Food for thought. Few posts back, it was mentioned that Coimbatore bypass is not fastag enabled because it is TN state maintained. But MPEW is a MH government built and maintained road, yet they accept fastag. The MH government has widened Sion-Panvel road to 12 lanes and has built toll booths on it, and those booths are going to be fastag enabled too, as per signage.

[paragsachania]

Originally Posted by binand

Well, not all. Had to pay cash at Hubli-Dharwad bypass and Airoli creek bridge.

Hubli bypass is not part of NHDP. In fact I asked the attendant on when they will start FASTag and he didn't have a hint too. Then I asked him about 4 lane and he responded with a sheepish grin.

The MH government has widened Sion-Panvel road to 12 lanes and has built toll booths on it, and those booths are going to be fastag enabled too, as per signage.

FASTag will mostly cater to anything but LMVs because toll collection was stopped for cars side June 2015.

http://m.mid-day.com/articles/light-...une-1/16232194

At Kharghar on Sion Panvel Expressway, it is always better to remain at the right most lanes because they have installed height barriers where only cars can pass and other vehicles pay toll at the remaining booths.

[rajesh1868]

Bagepalli update: While returning to Bangalore today morning, I was in the lane next to the one earmarked for fastag which has been permanently closed for sometime.
As I was taking money, I was told that fastag is working and my car is already scanned.
There was a 'Valid..' display right in front of me. So I suppose there is a scanner in this lane as well. I was allowed to pass.
My account is yet to be debited for this, no SMS as well.

Aside, I have been enrolled from Oct 24th in Equitas. I am yet to see any cashback. Is this normal to take this much time or do I need to check with them?

[rajesh1868]

And just now received an update on a complaint that I had made in pgportal on Bagepalli fastag not functioning some days back

Does this mean that 6 lanes have fastag enabled?

[binand]

What I noticed in my recent few trips is that, ever since the notification about enabling Fastag on all lanes, many operators are shutting down or permanently barricading the dedicated lane and adding sensors on all lanes. This is not good. The ideal scenario (and I thought this was the government's plan too) is to have one dedicated lane plus sensors on all other lanes, so that tag users can take the dedicated lane when other lanes are piled up and are free to choose their lane when the plaza is relatively free.

Having said that, yesterday at the plaza that comes just before Umbraj town, a BMW driver who overtook me with much honking and aggression was turned away from the dedicated lane by the operator who refused to take stuff from the driver. Imagine his consternation when I peacefully drove through that lane (which was empty while others had 5-6 vehicles in queue on average). I tried to give him my best tut-tut-can-buy-half-crore-car-but-not-spend-500-bucks-on-a-tag look, and I hope it registered. :-)

[airbus]

Did Bengaluru - Pondicherry - Bengaluru (via Vellore) during the weekend. FASTag worked in all toll plazas. On Sunday evening return trip FASTag queue was longer than the normal queue at Krishnagiri toll

I have received cashback for my FASTag usage for the month of September in my Paytm wallet:

Cashback Received
Toll Fastag for Order #Cashback-Toll-Sep-1130
Paytm Cash Txn ID 16xxxxxxxx39
2017-12-01 06:17:08 PM

Originally Posted by binand

In particular, the Bankapura guys have managed to acquire a handheld scanner.

I have a second public grievance case opened for this as they claimed that ETC/FASTag was never stopped. I also replied the email where NHAI officials were included along with the toll plaza operator, requesting NHAI to conduct an on the spot assessment

[binand]

Originally Posted by airbus

I have received cashback for my FASTag usage for the month of September in my Paytm wallet:

I noticed ICICI Bank's posters at some toll booths that said cashback will be credited within 15 days of month ending. That has never happened to me. :-)

Originally Posted by airbus

I have a second public grievance case opened for this as they claimed that ETC/FASTag was never stopped.

I went through that toll both ways on 27/9 (out) & 1/10 (back). Both times I had to pay cash. They are spewing nonsense.

[paragsachania]

Originally Posted by airbus

On return on Sunday evening at Krishnagiri toll FASTag queue was longer than the normal queue

A friend who did Goa 2 weeks back starting past midnight said he saw a km long queue at one of the toll booths, full of buses and trailers with FASTag while cash lanes had just 2-3 vehicles.

This was one thing I had mentioned earlier that trucks and buses are the maximum users of tags and that they rule the roads at night. And then we know how efficiently inconsistent all the toll plazas are when it comes to FASTag that no one with a Tag will take risk to enter any other lane for the fear of either being asked to take the tag lane only or pay by cash while may a times we have been asked to take the cash lane saying "FASTag works there also".

For instance, last Saturday when I drove to Mumbai, at Hattarigi plaza the FASTag lane had a cone placed marking it as closed. When I asked the guard there, he said "lane no 3" and I said why has he closed the FASTag lane to which he replied it was for "Ambulance" .

[mpksuhas]

Originally Posted by airbus

On Sunday evening return trip FASTag queue was longer than the normal queue at Krishnagiri toll

Originally Posted by paragsachania

A friend who did Goa 2 weeks back starting past midnight said he saw a km long queue at one of the toll booths, full of buses and trailers with FASTag while cash lanes had just 2-3 vehicles.

Yes, this was similar to what had happened at Krishnagiri toll yesterday evening.

Fastag toll lane was kept dedicated, however one truck was taking long time to get scanned. In the meantime the queue got long.

Plus due to confusion in location of Fastag lane, which is not uniform across the toll booths many Fastag users were trying to cut across lanes causing confusion and blockages in queue of other lanes too.

Thankfully they were able to get handheld scanner from somewhere and scan and let through the truck with problematic scanner. Past the toll, there was an Innova & Jeep Compass which had taken cash lane along with us driving next to us. So, there was no actual time savings as such.

Similar issue was noticed at Thoppur toll booth also, however last month when I was stuck similarly the security guy manning the barricade had asked me to take the adjoining lane. So, yesterday too I took the same and was able to clear the toll booth easier.


Once we have the 'mandatory fastag for 4 wheelers' rule guys too on road, it will be a mess if there is only one dedicated lane.

[paragsachania]

Originally Posted by mpksuhas

Once we have the 'mandatory fastag for 4 wheelers' rule guys too on road, it will be a mess if there is only one dedicated lane.

And this is exactly what worries me. Plus I fear that they will do away entirely with the dedicated option once they have tags active in all lanes (It was almost the case when I drove to Mumbai last Saturday).

That exclusivity will be gone and then all vehicles will stop by at the window, the attender scans on his system (not the handheld device) and lets the vehicle pass.

With just one or two lanes having dedicated scanners in place, I can't imagine what happens when everyone has tags. Also, imagine the cases where many will have tags but won't bother to upload the balance and want to pay cash; Trust me, we will have a set of drivers belonging to that category also.

My wish was if Govt made FASTag mandatory along with 10,000 INR worth balance in that tag .

[sunil_k_u]

Originally Posted by DejavuTrip

Use Paytm App in your phone to recharge and check transaction history. The wallet is used to auto-recharge Fastag currency. I had used Paytm to order Fastag and it was a smooth process. You seem to have linked it to Paytm in a roundabout fashion but the only way to recharge AFAIK is using Paytm if Paytm is your Fastag provider.

Many thanks for the reply. I am yet to use the Fastag and was collecting all possible information before the first scan. I will keep enough balance in PayTM app so that Fastag gets charged automatically as you mentioned.

What makes me worry is that my PayTM app (on phone) doesn't have an option to check the history of the Fastg usage yet. Hope there would be an option to check this once the Fastag is put in to use.

[agambhandari]

PayTM FastTag wold be very useful IMO, given that PayTM usage is already widespread for everything else. Good move to encash this benefit by PayTM.

Now just hoping the Fastag lanes increase so that the chances of non acceptance can decrease.