New Delhi, August 25: FASTag or radio-frequency identification tags used to pay toll automatically on national highways will now be mandatory for vehicles to avail any discount at the toll plazas. According to a report by Hindustan Times, the Centre has amended the National Highways Fee (Determination of Rates and Collection) Rules, 2008, in order to encourage the use of FASTag, generally affixed on vehicle windscreens which enables toll to be debited automatically from a linked bank account. FASTag Details Mandatory for Vehicle Registration or Issuing Fitness Certificate to Vehicles Across India.

Following the amendment, vehicles having functional FASTag will get discounts (if any) if they make the return journey within 24 hours. Besides, local exemptions from the toll will also be given to only FASTag-affixed vehicles. "In order to promote usage of digital payments for availing all discounts on the Fee Plazas of national highways, the amendments to the Rules are made which would enable discount on return journey within 24 hours," an official of the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways was quoted as saying. Enter FASTag Lane at Highway Toll Booth Only if Eligible, Else Pay Double The Amount.

"The amendment would also enable that in cases where there is a discount available for a return journey within 24 hours, there is no need for a prior receipt or intimation and the citizen would get the discount automatically if return journey is made within 24 hours with a valid and a functional FASTag on the vehicle," he added. FASTag has been introduced to prevent long queues of vehicles at toll plazas.

FASTag employs Radio Frequency Identification technology to make toll payments directly from prepaid or savings accounts linked to it to the toll franchise. Shifting to FasTag makes traffic flow seamless at toll plazas thus saving time and money for vehicle-owners. The Centre had mandated that all lanes of toll plazas on national highways be declared FASTag lanes by January 15.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 25, 2020 09:28 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).