THOOTHUKUDI: As many as seven SETC buses were not allowed passage at Kayathar Toll Gate in the wee hours of Friday, allegedly owing to insufficient balance in their FASTag accounts. The passengers had to board other buses to continue travel.
Sources said the buses toeing one another were stopped at the toll gate on Madurai-Kanniyakumari National Highway around 4.50 am. A senior SETC official told TNIE, “The FASTag accounts showed no balance due to server problems that have been recurring during wee hours.
The accounts actually had sufficient balance. We tried to resolve the issue and cause no inconvenience to the passengers. However, the toll gate authorities refused to budge despite the buses being State-owned.”
The authorities allowed the buses to pass at 7 am after collecting double the toll, the sources added.
NHAI Project Director (Madurai Division) and Transport Minister RS Raja Kannapan were not available for comments. It may be noted that a similar incident happened to a TNSTC bus at the same toll gate a few days ago.
Continuing saga?
A similar incident had happened to a TNSTC bus at the same toll gate. NHAI Project Director (Madurai Division) and Minister RS Raja Kannapan were unavailable for comments