Motorists reluctant to switch over to FASTag

Parveen Arora
Tribune News Service
Karnal, July 4

Around 40 per cent vehicles are plying without the FASTag on the National Highway (NH)-44.

The data of the Bastara toll plaza shows that around 30,000 vehicles cross the toll daily in comparison to around 40,000 daily prior to the enforcement of the lockdown. Of the presently plying vehicles, around 40 per cent are yet to avail the service and they have to use the cash lane where they have to wait for a longer duration.

The Ministry of Road Transport and Highway had made it mandatory for the toll payment to be made electronically from December 1, 2019, but later the dates were extended. Then the government made it mandatory from March 1, 2020 and if the commuter did not have the facility, he/she would have to cross the toll through cash lane. And if the commuter entered the FASTag lane, then he/she would have to pay double the toll. The National Highways Authority of India has made several efforts to educate people. Even counters for FASTag activation were also set up, but still a large number of commuters are without this facility.

The authorities of Bastara toll plaza believe that the lockdown has hampered the FASTag project. “Around 40 per cent vehicles crossing the toll daily are without FASTag and we have kept one lane on each side for cash vehicles. The lockdown is one of the reasons behind the poor response,” said Manish Kumar, incharge of Bastara toll plaza.

He said five counters, including one of the NHAI and four of different banks, had been established at the toll, where the commuters could avail the service. “We have erected boards along the NH-44 to educate people about the cashless system of toll,” he said.

Kumar said the lockdown had reduced the toll collection by around 30 per cent from this busiest road. “Since, this road is considered vital as it connects the national capital with major tourist and religious destinations of north India, but due to the lockdown the number of vehicles plying on the road has decreased leading to a fall in toll collection,” he said.

The commuters also have reasons of not using FASTag. “I usually travel on the national highway once or twice in a quarter, so I do not prefer FASTag,” said Sumit Kumar, a resident of the city.