[sachinpk]

The confusion on NICE Road, neatly summed up on this report. NICE technically is a "private road", and State Government's PWD has to confirm with NHAI on rolling out FasTag.
NICE road commuters in long queue fume over lack of FASTag

[Gannu_1]

Originally Posted by sachinpk

The confusion on NICE Road, neatly summed up on this report. NICE technically is a "private road", and State Government's PWD has to confirm with NHAI on rolling out FasTag.
NICE road commuters in long queue fume over lack of FASTag

Is this the same as L&T’s Coimbatore bypass road and the late implementation of Fastag?

[antz.bin]

It seems that the requirement of keeping a minimum balance of ₹100 on the Fastag has been done away with.

At least these guys, among others, say so.

https://auto.economictimes.indiatime...allet/80788688

Should make the Fastag usage simpler since with the earlier ₹100 minimum balance requirements only made it more difficult to use for everyone and caused unnecessary delays.

[NPV]

Originally Posted by antz.bin

It seems that the requirement of keeping a minimum balance of ₹100 on the Fastag has been done away with.

At least these guys, among others, say so.

I saw it in today's Indian Express (Bangalore edition) newspaper as well, but could not find the news on their website (some of the articles are now behind pay walls and that could be reason).

I did find this one though:
Source: Business Standard

"In order to increase the FASTag penetration to ensure seamless movement of traffic and to reduce avoidable delays at the toll plazas, NHAI has decided to remove the mandatory threshold amount for the FASTag account / wallet, which was paid by the user in addition to the security deposit for the passenger segment (Car/Jeep/Van)," NHAI said in a statement.

It said issuer banks were unilaterally mandating some threshold amount value for the FASTag account/wallet, in addition to the security deposit amount.

As a result, many FASTag users were not allowed to pass through a toll plaza, in spite of having sufficient balance in their FASTag account/wallet, the statement said adding this was resulting into unwanted hassles and avoidable delay at toll plazas.

I hope this reduces the number of vehicles flagged as "Blacklisted" causing the barricade to not open, it's very painful for vehicles that are held up behind them.

From a recent experience - this was at the Hosur Road Elevated Toll. The lane I was in and the adjacent lane were held up simultaneously by cars with blacklisted tags! In fact it took almost 5-6 minutes for my lane to clear and the cabbie in front of me actually got out of his car to argue with the toll personnel because he had a valid tag with sufficient balance and was waiting because of the car in front of him that was blacklisted.

[shamanth]

Originally Posted by NPV

From a recent experience - this was at the Hosur Road Elevated Toll. The lane I was in and the adjacent lane were held up simultaneously by cars with blacklisted tags! In fact it took almost 5-6 minutes for my lane to clear and the cabbie in front of me actually got out of his car to argue with the toll personnel because he had a valid tag with sufficient balance and was waiting because of the car in front of him that was blacklisted.

This is becoming regular thing in tolls, not just one-off incident. Stopping blacklisted tags and arguing with them for 10-15 mins, blocking whole traffic is another drawback of FasTag implementation.

It happened to me also when coming from Hassan to Bangalore near Nelamangala Lanco toll. I got down and even spoke to manager of toll who was arguing with lorry guy, he said they don't have any option other than stopping blacklisted and getting them pay cash.

I guess better way is to let the blacklisted vehicle pass through, but put a heavy fine just like violation of traffic rules. Or now that Bank manages the fastag account, let the account run in negative and it should be banks headache to recover the money from the user from whatever means, and don't blacklist any account for low balance.

Have also complained MORTH on this, have to see what the response is, normally goes through investigation on complaints. https://pgportal.gov.in/Desk

[NaXal]

Here is the official Press Release of NHAI about the removal of minimum balance requirements from FASTAG account.

Source -> https://nhai.gov.in/#/press-release

Welcome move, and why just stopping there, what's the point of keeping the security deposit? Shouldn't we be allowed to use that security deposit too?

I am wasting Rs. 200/- there with my so called FREE FASTAG, and with their own data of 2.54 crore users, just imagine how much money they are withholding by force

[supremeBaleno]

Are the charges for getting Fastag same across all providers ?
I assume it is 100(Joining) + 200 (Deposit) + Initial loading (200) = 500, irrespective of whether you take the tag from HDFC or ICICI.

Also, if applying online (HDFC) how long does it take for the tag to get delivered ?

[mpksuhas]

Originally Posted by Gannu_1

Is this the same as L&T’s Coimbatore bypass road and the late implementation of Fastag?

That has something to do with the contract which was from 1999 or so not mentioning about who is going to pay for the bill for Fastag implementation since the contact was initially expiring in 2019.

There was an RTI filed by a member and he had posted the reply in this thread couple of years back and mentioned something like that.

[JD1]

Applied for tag today from Paytm. They had a 100 cashback going on so basically free tag. No security deposit but Rs 250 minimum balance !! (the other option was Airtel which had "upto" 100 cashback). Airtel was showing 150 minimum balance + 100 tag joining fees + 200 security deposit (total 450). HDFC bank on the other hand had a different breakup!

[YD14]

FASTag to be mandatory from midnight 15th February, 2021

No more deadline extensions for full implementation of FASTag. Toll booths will not have cash lanes from midnight 15th February, 2021 onward. Anybody who does not have a FASTag will need to pay double toll fee, irrespective of which lane he enters.

Link:-
https://twitter.com/MORTHIndia/statu...42917390663682

[logicalidiot]

Originally Posted by JD1

No security deposit but Rs 250 minimum balance !!

I too noticed there is a minimum balance requirement on Paytm. Didn't NHAI just clarify that there shouldn't be any minimum balance requirement?

[gkveda]

Originally Posted by logicalidiot

I too noticed there is a minimum balance requirement on Paytm. Didn't NHAI just clarify that there shouldn't be any minimum balance requirement?

It may not be minimum balance. Could be initial balance, as you start using it, you can go upto zero balance (per new rules)

[PaddleShifter]

For PayTM fastag users like me who got one in last week of December, PayTM charged 250 as security and 150 as minimum balance that is not usable unlike money in main wallet.

I got 3 fastags so have put 1200 in their deposits.

PayTM is now offering fastag with 0 security and 250 minimum balance that wont be usable either.

I think payTM should do the same for older fastags as well. They should either transfer 150 held in minimum balance to the main wallets and keep 250 as security or simply transfer 150 to main wallet and keep 250 in minimum balance.

[yaleen]

Any idea if cars without Fast tag will get fined on normal roads? We have an old car which is used for city driving/market runs and never going through any tolls. Will this get fined while normal driving if we never attach fast tag for this?

[shamanth]

Originally Posted by yaleen

Any idea if cars without Fast tag will get fined on normal roads? We have an old car which is used for city driving/market runs and never going through any tolls. Will this get fined while normal driving if we never attach fast tag for this?

Yes, you will get fined as per the new law. And anyways after April 2021 you cannot renew insurance without fastag as per new law. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/...w/80908072.cms