Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways made FASTag mandatory for the four-wheeler vehicles starting from January 1^st, 2021. Any M and N class four-wheelers that were sold before December, 2017 will have to purchase a FASTag.

Owing to this rule, the electronic toll collection through FASTag has crossed ₹80 crore in a single day. As confirmed by National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), there were over 50 lakh transactions made in a day. As of today, 2.20 crore FASTags have been issued.

“The toll collection through FASTag first time crossed ₹80 crore per day on December 24, 2020, with record 50 lakh FASTag transactions per day, a historical landmark,” shared NHAI.

“With FASTag being mandatory for vehicles from 1st January 2021, the NHAI has made all necessary arrangements to provide seamless movement of vehicles at Fee Plazas. Adoption of FASTag has helped highway users save time and fuel at the toll plazas. The digital transaction has got necessary push through the recent amendment in Central Motor Vehicle Rules,” read the statement released by NHAI.

FASTag is a Radio-frequency Identification (RFID) sticker that is generally attached to the windshield from the inside. This contains registration details of the vehicle. This is important for toll collection. When your vehicle is crossing any toll-booth, the FASTag officials will scan the barcode on the FASTag and collect the required amount to cross a toll-barrier.

With the increase in COVID-19 cases and people becoming more skeptical over human contact, this method will ensure a contactless toll payment. It is said to be more convenient as well.

“As social distancing has become the new norm, commuters are increasingly looking at FASTag as a toll payment option as it nullifies the chances of any human contact between the drivers and the toll operators. Being an inclusive technological tool for toll collection on highways, FASTag is a more practical and beneficial option,” shared the NHAI.