[TusharK]

According to a media report, the Government of India is planning to make FASTags mandatory for all vehicles in the next 4 months. All toll plazas in the country will also be converted to accept FASTags.



The Road Transport & Highways minister has said that every person with a vehicle will have to purchase a FASTag. Vehicles that don't have a FASTag sticker will not be able to cross the toll plaza.

There are about 450 toll plazas that have FASTag lanes. These include routes like the Mumbai-Pune Expressway, Delhi-Chennai NH-48 and the Dahisar toll plaza in Mumbai that have a higher density of traffic. Yet, vehicles get stuck in long queues as those without FASTags also enter the lanes dedicated for FASTag users, leading to delays.

The government hopes to streamline toll collection and reduce delays by making FASTags compulsory for all vehicles.

Source: Money Control

[RacingForIndia]

Its not longer a rumor, bought my car last week and it came equipped with the FASTag. It is indeed mandatory for all new vehicles.

Originally Posted by TusharK

There are about 450 toll plazas that have FASTag lanes. These include routes like the Mumbai-Pune Expressway, Delhi-Chennai NH-48 and the Dahisar toll plaza in Mumbai that have a higher density of traffic. Yet, vehicles get stuck in long queues as those without FASTags also enter the lanes dedicated for FASTag users, leading to delays.

Yeah thats a real shame, shoddy implementation.

[paragsachania]

Originally Posted by RacingForIndia

Its not longer a rumor, bought my car last week and it came equipped with the FASTag. It is indeed mandatory for all new vehicles.

All "New" Cars registered from Nov/Dec 2017 come with Fastag from the Dealer and you are charged for this. Essentially through this the authority is ensuring that at least new vehicles get these tags. This is a known news and discussions are happening on regular basis in the Fastag thread.

However, this news posted by the OP is referring to making Fastag mandatory for "All" vehicles and that includes existing vehicles that don't have the tags.

I hope this is implemented across with a deadline. I also hope once implemented they make all lanes Fastag with just one cash lane to cater to Fastag equipped vehicles. My last hope is that they ensure a robust implementation of the RFID scanners rather than the way things function today.

Honestly, despite Fastag being made mandatory for newly registered vehicles, from my own experience of driving on couple of highways in the last 2+ years, I haven't come across private cars that use this regularly. At a friend's place in a remote village near my hometown of Belur, A brand new Hexa with a Fastag and its unused because my friend doesn't know how to recharge and just ignores it saying "I hardly drive towards destination that has tolled roads and hence I won't need it".

[locusjag]

My Feb 2018 TUV 300 came with an Axis Bank Fastag. For one year that followed, I was the one who blocked Fastag lanes by paying cash.

Why?

Axis Bank insisted that I finish the KYC process with them. Branches couldn't help me and it couldn't be done online either. In the absence of KYC, my wallet could only be loaded with 500 bucks.

Then Toll booths started telling me that 500 is only the minimum balance and hence mine was "blacklisted". The electronic display on the toll booth would also shame me with as many words for all to see - "blacklisted tag".

I switched to HDFC Fastag in March 2019 and all's well now.

What's to say that millions of Indians forced to buy a Fastag won't get stuck with Axis Bank's tag? Can you imagine the jams at toll booths, the fights, the hassles that will ensue? I totally support e-tolling, but am really worried at how things will get implemented. The devil lies in the implementation details.

[avira_tk]

Originally Posted by locusjag

..
What's to say that millions of Indians forced to buy a Fastag won't get stuck with Axis Bank's tag? Can you imagine the jams at toll booths, the fights, the hassles that will ensue? I totally support e-tolling, but am really worried at how things will get implemented. The devil lies in the implementation details.

Your story sounds so much like all the horror stories about axis fastag, the people I know started using fastag only when they switched to another provider.

Looks like fastag is another dealer level scam, the usual charge is 1000 bucks with 200 minimum balance on delivery, so the dealer makes 800 bucks on a sticker.

[rahulskumar]

Originally Posted by locusjag

My Feb 2018 TUV 300 came with an Axis Bank Fastag. For one year that followed, I was the one who blocked Fastag lanes by paying cash.

Why?

Axis Bank insisted that I finish the KYC process with them. Branches couldn't help me and it couldn't be done online either. In the absence of KYC, my wallet could only be loaded with 500 bucks.

Then Toll booths started telling me that 500 is only the minimum balance and hence mine was "blacklisted". The electronic display on the toll booth would also shame me with as many words for all to see - "blacklisted tag".

I switched to HDFC Fastag in March 2019 and all's well now.

What's to say that millions of Indians forced to buy a Fastag won't get stuck with Axis Bank's tag? Can you imagine the jams at toll booths, the fights, the hassles that will ensue? I totally support e-tolling, but am really worried at how things will get implemented. The devil lies in the implementation details.

FastTag should be handled and distributed by one authority. Now each and every bank is selling FasTag without even having proper infrastructure to support KYC process for non account holders. Axis bank FasTag team wanted 9 digit customer id. As I did not have an account with Axis bank, they kept generating 12 digit ID. Basically by selling FasTag, these banks force us to start an account with them for getting the KYC done. I was adamant and waited for 2 months to get my KYC approved.I kept reminding them daily.


We provide pan and aadhar details while purchasing a car. I believe we even provide the same set of documents for registration process. Why do we need to provide KYC just for paying tolls ? Even if they increase the minimum threshold for KYC to 3k, most of us can avoid going through this torture. KYC and audit should be mandatory for employees working at toll plaza to avoid mishandling funds.

In our country where many don't even follow basic driving rules,there will be many instances where some car owner will not have any balance left and will block the toll plaza. Instead of prepaid card, they should make a credit card based system. Let these banks keep chasing the defaulters. Owners will be forced to pay the balance as it will affect their credit score

[GTO]

Originally Posted by paragsachania

However, this news posted by the OP is referring to making Fastag mandatory for "All" vehicles and that includes existing vehicles that don't have the tags.

Thank you! Have edited the thread title to make it clearer .

Here is the earlier thread for new cars only - link.

[NPV]

Originally Posted by paragsachania

However, this news posted by the OP is referring to making Fastag mandatory for "All" vehicles and that includes existing vehicles that don't have the tags.

I hope this is implemented across with a deadline. I also hope once implemented they make all lanes Fastag with just one cash lane to cater to Fastag equipped vehicles. My last hope is that they ensure a robust implementation of the RFID scanners rather than the way things function today.

Rightly said.

With this being implemented, I just hope all lanes & booths at every toll plaza will be able to read Fastags. Every booth can continue to be manned as well (I've heard that the fear of toll personnel losing jobs due to Electronic tolls is another reason why the companies operating the toll plazas don't really want hassle-free operation of Fastag lanes) and the attendant can accept cash Only if the tag fails to work for some technical reason, and if the failure is due to insufficient balance, cash amount will be higher and inclusive of a penal fee.

Easier said than done, I think I can continue to remain in my Fastag dream world

[rajathv8]

I have been keeping an eye on Fastag for a while and have not got one as folks have reported that it does not always work well. There have been reports about the fastag lanes not working and at times fastag lanes taking longer than cash lanes. Had things been smooth to begin with, more people would have gravitated towards it without the need to make it mandatory.
As an example, the BMTC offers daily buss passes. They are cost effective and overcome the hassle of providing exact change for the tickets. The pass works well so the public makes use of it.

One could argue that the toll booth operators would now be forced to keep the infra working as the tag is mandatory and this would in turn make fastag effective.

[srishiva]

They need to enable FASTag on all lanes first. On NH4, I dont see most of the time when there is heavy traffic, I dont see any advantage of having FASTag.

Maybe since the govt links multiple stuff together, can they link your DL to your car and generate a challan in your name even if you dont have tag or if it fails to work ? This will ensure no one will stop and disturb the traffic for various reasons.

[NPV]

Originally Posted by rajathv8

I have been keeping an eye on Fastag for a while and have not got one as folks have reported that it does not always work well. There have been reports about the fastag lanes not working and at times fastag lanes taking longer than cash lanes. Had things been smooth to begin with, more people would have gravitated towards it without the need to make it mandatory.

This is like the negative reviews about a product or service, especially on the internet since they will always stand out and gain more attention. Courtesy another Bhpian who encouraged me to go for the Fastag, I have been an early adopter having it since 2015 and it has worked on every trip so far at every toll that supports Fastag. Yes there may have been delays due to traffic, some technical glitch, etc but I haven't had to pay by cash (ok, well maybe just once or twice!). Of course, the routes I have used are mostly the standard ones like Bangalore-Palakkad, Bangalore-Chennai, Bangalore-Madurai, Bangalore-Pune, Bangalore-Hyderabad. During this period of almost 5 years, I have had to raise just one dispute for double deduction. So, there are positive experiences as well, don't wait any further to get a Fastag for your car

[amit_3306]

My Jun 2018 car was delivered with dealer fitted FastTag which is provided by SBI. It works fine without an issue except the delay in getting message that a certain amount is deducted at a toll plaza.

This is a big scam on Pune - Mumbai expressway where toll plaza attendee says that the money has not been deducted and I have to pay cash/ card only to realise after half an hour that it is also charged on my FastTag. Obliviously you can’t turn back after half an hour ending up paying the double toll.

Govt. and toll operators needs to make honest effort to stop this loot before they decide to make this compulsory to every vehicle. Imagine the chaos if this occurs with every passing vehicle.

[paragsachania]

Originally Posted by amit_3306

This is a big scam on Pune - Mumbai expressway where toll plaza attendee says that the money has not been deducted and I have to pay cash/ card only to realise after half an hour that it is also charged on my FastTag. Obliviously you can’t turn back after half an hour ending up paying the double toll.

Technically, money doesn't get deducted at the Toll Plaza. At the Toll Plaza, the RFID Scanners (Hand-held or fixed) only validates the tag - ACTIVE or BLACKLISTED. Money is later deducted by payment commission and that happens within the next 10-20 minutes (usually).

So obviously like you said, the toll booth staff is tricking the owners of such vehicles.

[Who_are_you]

Originally Posted by amit_3306

This is a big scam on Pune - Mumbai expressway ...

You can raise dispute with fastag provider, if you have the toll receipt. I am frequent traveler on MPEW and using fasttag since last 2 years, never faces such issue. I am using PayTM fasttag.

[sandx]

I didn't get a fastag from the dealer when I bought my EcoSport last month but one of the first things I did was to order one from paytm. The experience has been quite ok I would say. The line hasn't gotten shorter nor has the time taken as many booths still use a hand held scanner. Inspite of their being a warning on the dedicated lanes that absence of a tag would lead to penalties, folks were still entering the lanes and paying in cash without the penalty of course.

About paytm, as I use it for most of my transactions including fuel, monthly bills, metro recharges etc. this will just be added to the repertoire. On one instance I was overcharged on the Hyderabad ORR, but the refund process was simple to report on the app and was resolved within a week. I am in it for the long haul I guess, but the government has to take care of the technicalities first before making it mandatory.