KOCHI: Come December 1, FASTag, the automated prepaid-toll payment service, will be made mandatory for paying toll fee across the country. The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has made FASTag mandatory to help commuters avoid long queues at toll plazas and save time. Fitted on the left side of the vehicle’s windscreen, the FASTag chip will help user pay toll fee without shelling out hard cash.
“It is a major initiative of the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways and NHAI. FASTag will help in collecting notified rates at toll plazas using RFID (radio frequency identification) technology,” said P Pradeep, NHAI Kochi project director.
He said from December, users without FASTag will have to pay double the notified toll fee. “The two toll plazas under Kochi NHAI – the one on the Aroor-Kumbalam stretch and the other at Ponnarimangalam have been FASTag-enabled,” said Pradeep.
He said NHAI is spreading proper awareness among users to overcome the challenges that may arise when the new system comes into force.“Besides making Aroor toll plaza FASTag-enabled, we have also set up a counter there from where FASTag stickers can be purchased. Pamphlets informing motorists about FASTag and details of FASTag app have been distributed among people,” he said.