The A-Z of FASTag: How It Works, Benefits, Objectives of Introducing It

If you are a vehicle owner in India, there is a high likelihood that you have heard of FASTag. And if you are planning to acquire a vehicle, you should know how it works. This guide will show how a FASTag works, its benefits, and how you can utilise it to make your journeys smoother.

What is FASTag?

You must be aware that vehicles need to pay a toll when passing through toll plazas in between states in India? A toll is a fee or levy you must pay to the state government for providing and maintaining road and bridge networks across the country. Traditionally, drivers needed to hand out toll fees in cash to a toll agent at the plaza before being allowed to drive past – a situation that usually leads to traffic congestion, air pollution, and frayed nerves at toll booths.  

To prevent the stress associated with paying tolls in cash, the Indian government introduced FASTag in 2017 – and by 2021, it was mandated for all vehicles across the country. With the new government intervention, drivers don’t have to stop at toll plazas to pay agents anymore – they just drive past a plaza, and the toll they are supposed to pay is automatically deducted from their digital accounts.

So How Does Fastag Work?

FASTag is a toll-paying initiative that enables vehicle owners to pay tolls automatically at plazas without stopping. Using Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology, a vehicle owner fixes a FASTag-enabled sticker to the windscreen of his car – with the sticker linked to a digital account into which funds have been deposited. 

With this technology in place, when a commuter drives past a toll plaza, the FASTag sticker emits a signal to the FASTag reader at the plaza, and the toll money is instantly deducted from the driver’s online account into the government purse. Just drive past a toll gate – and your digital wallet gets automatically debited with the toll amount – courtesy of FASTag’s RFID technology.

As long as you have enough money in your ICICI FASTag account or any similar digital account, the appropriate fee will be automatically deducted as your car is scanned. But if you do not have sufficient money in your account or are not able to pay the toll fee, you will  need to pay in cash, but at a higher fee. 

What Are the Objectives of Introducing Fastag?

The Indian government had the following objectives for introducing FASTag when they did in 2017. Here are some of them: 

• Make revenue collection easy and fast.
• Prevent traffic congestion at toll plazas.
• Prevent air pollution and the environmental risks associated with traffic buildup.

Since the government implemented the initiative many years ago, people are happier because they can pay the toll without delay and unnecessary stress. 

Benefits of Using FASTag

Some of the benefits associated with using FASTag to pay your toll include the following: 

• You can drive past a toll plaza quickly and pay your toll automatically.
• You can avoid being struck in traffic.
• You save on fuel that may have been used up in traffic congestion.
• Your toll gate payments can be tracked and reviewed.
• Monthly and local passes can be converted to FASTag passes.
• Environment-friendly.

The government has mandated all vehicle owners to pay tolls when they drive through toll plazas to generate revenue. Organisations with vehicles can enjoy special rebates and FASTag benefits if they register with the authorities. 

Summary:

FASTag is an RFID technology that enables vehicle owners to pay toll fees without stopping their vehicles at toll plazas. The technology automatically deducts the toll fee from a linked savings account. Everything is seamless and hassle-free for both vehicle owners and the government.