Centre extends deadline for mandatory FASTags to December 15

Central government has postponed the mandatory implementation of FASTag to 15 December. Earlier the date of implementation was on 1 December.

FASTag is an electronic device installed in the vehicle to enable drivers to pass through toll plazas without halting for paying the toll tax. The aim is to promote digital payments at toll plaza and decongest national highways.

Over 70 lakh FASTags had been issued till Wednesday, with the highest per-day issuance of 1,35,583 tags on November 26, 2019, whereas 1.03 lakh tags were issued on the day before. The average daily issuance had grown by 330 per cent from 8,000 in July to 35,000 tags sold in November 2019 after the Government announced to implement it from December 1.

After announcement of waiver of tag cost from November 21, there has been a growth in FASTag issuance.

To give a fillip to digital payments and bring in enhanced transparency, the ministry had directed to declare all lanes of fee plazas on national highways as ‘FASTag lanes’ by December 1.

All the available mode of recharges such as debit card, credit card, net banking and Unified Payments Interface have been enabled for loading money to the FASTag account.

A customer may call on the helpline number, ‘1033’, for any assistance related to FASTags, the ministry said and added that they can also reach out to the banks to obtain FASTags.

(With inputs from agencies)