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OMR and ECR tolls currently do not accept Fastag payments as they are under the state government. Fastag is currently only for roads under NHAI. Ideally it should be standardized across all states.

At least one toll on the OMR- the one that connects to ECR - has a board saying Fastag trials but I’ve never seen any such trial. Take the Paytm one, as your wallet balance can also be used in shops, gas stations etc.

Toll booths on the OMR and ECR (maintained by the Tamil Nadu Road Development Company (TNRDC)) are going to adopt Fastag soon (https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities...le29694798.ece)

If you are only occasionally going to venture there, you may ignore fastag. But I'd recommend getting it anyway.

For quite sometime they have this 'Sensor tag' board on the suburban OMR and ECR tolls. I say suburban, since its not seen in the Mahabalipuram-Chengalpattu exit toll.

If your foresee yourself going Chengalpattu, Sriperumbudur or Karanodai and beyond, get one. Even Chennai Bypass Vangaram toll has it, though am not sure if the mandatory Fastag is going to be implemented there.

I guess the tag goes 'inactive' 6 months without usage. I remember someone posting this in the thread some 2-3 years back. This is what you should be exploring if you are getting it and using it on rare occasions.

Not sure if balance lasts for ever, but I'm sure Fastag is not required for state tolls (no matter which state) as I've checked this in MH, KL, TN (OMR) & KA.

Thanks guys, it looks like I don't need to do anything for now, but will have to take it into consideration if I do go further afield.

I do the Chennai - Pondy, Chennai - Trichy routes sometimes. No fixed intervals between visits. What are my options? Is there no cash payment option at all in the toll plazas, or do they charge more if we pay cash?

They will charge double for cash payments. Get a paytm fastag - the balance can be used for any other paytm purchase (petrol, swiggy, shops and restaurants etc).

Given how chaotic Paranur and Athur toll are as a norm. I'd say get it. These tolls were a pain when all but one lane allowed cash payments.

After National Highway tolls, ECR and OMR to go FASTag way

Link

As per what I have read, they charge double only if the cash guys get into a Fastag lane. Else, there will be one lane available for only cash vehicles, where it will be normal rate. Saw this as well when I did the Chennai - Madurai trip last weekend. The number of cash lanes were 2 or 3, and will be brought down to 1 post the Dec 15 deadline I suppose

Edit: Discussion in the fastag thread: https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/stree...ml#post4704302

Well, here's an update on this (hoping it helps other folks who might run into this issue):

In the end, I had to get another gas connection for the house in my name. Took the "Subscription Voucher" (basically the document stating that there's an active connection in my name at my address) to the Uthandi Toll plaza, filled up the form, attached the rent agreement + RC card copy and submitted the entire thing there.

Ended up topping up the paid toll card with another 50 trips (for Rs.1222) since the toll booth manager said it would take another 10 days from the day of submission for them to come and verify my residency.

20 days passed, no one came to my place to verify if I lived there. Finally I went to the toll office again and they gave me my local resident pass as it had been signed from the TNRDC office.

Hopefully this chapter is closed until the next year — I'm still unsure how Fastag would affect local residents along the road and how TNRDC is going to make it work for local residents within the next 10 days.

I randomly noticed one thing: most cars on the road in Chennai seem to be very new (I would say > 2015). Like more than 80% or 90% of them if I had to guess a number.
I wonder if cars are getting recycled at such a fast pace here, or whether it is because of the 2015 floods where most cars got scrapped..?

I believe it is indeed because of the 2015 floods — most cars were submerged, causing electrical issues which rendered most cars useless. Being a coastal city, rust is another factor that comes into play. Because of this, most of these flood-affected cars were either scrapped or auctioned for parts.

Here's the link to a news article about this matter.

Does anyone know whether OMR toll accepts FasTag payment?
Has the state government implemented E-toll payments?
Regular users may please advise.
Thanks.