The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has taken a significant stride towards enhancing the efficiency of the Electronic Toll Collection (ETC) system with the introduction of the ‘One Vehicle, One FASTag’ initiative.
In tandem with the initiative, the NHAI is urging FASTag users to complete the Know Your Customer (KYC) process for their latest FASTags, aligning with the guidelines set by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).
FASTags with valid balances but incomplete KYC will face deactivation or blacklisting by banks after January 31, 2024, as per a press release from the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways, as reported by TOI.
To prevent any inconvenience, users are strongly advised to ensure the completion of KYC for their latest FASTag and adhere to the One Vehicle, One FASTag principle. They should also discard any previously issued FASTags through their respective banks.
This move is aimed at curbing malpractices such as using a single FASTag for multiple vehicles or associating multiple FASTags with a particular vehicle, ensuring a smoother traffic flow at toll plazas. The move can promote a more accountable and streamlined toll collection system.
Effective from January 31, 2024, only the latest FASTag account will remain active, with previous tags being deactivated or blacklisted.
NHAI implemented this initiative in response to recent reports highlighting malpractices such as multiple FASTags being issued for a single vehicle and FASTags being distributed without proper KYC, in violation of RBI mandates. Instances of FASTags intentionally not being affixed to the vehicle’s windscreen have also been noted, causing unnecessary delays at toll plazas and inconveniencing fellow national highway users.
The Ministry of Road Transport & Highways declares that with a penetration rate of approximately 98 percent and over 8 crore users, FASTag has revolutionised the electronic toll collection system in India. The introduction of the One Vehicle, One FASTag initiative is anticipated to further improve toll operations’ efficiency.
India has recently informed the World Bank about significant advancements in reducing waiting times at toll plazas and expediting export release times at land ports. The introduction of FASTag has played a pivotal role, reducing the average waiting time at toll plazas from 714 seconds to 47 seconds.
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