What is a Fastag?
FASTag is a ‘tag’ tagged on the Indian vehicles. It’s a unique ID that creates a massive database of all vehicles with run time information, their whereabouts, and status to the relevant authorities.
In April 2016, National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) formally launched Fastags across 275 toll plazas to digitize the process of toll collection, which are Radio-frequency identification (RFID).
It is estimated that Govt. can save almost Rs 60,000 crore, annually, by implementing this e-toll facility via Fastags. This saving is estimated from fuel saved, time saved, and other factors.
Benefits Of FASTags?
Environmental benefits like Reduced air pollution and Reduced use of paper. Social benefits like Reduced toll payment hassles and better highway management.
Other benefits include ease of payment – No need to carry cash for the toll transactions which in turn saves time, near non-stop movement of vehicles, Online Recharge – FASTag can be recharged online through Credit Card / Debit Card /
NEFT/RTGS or Net banking. You will also get SMS alerts for all toll transactions, low balance, etc.
In future, you no longer have to carry your pollution certificates, insurance certificates, registration documents etc, with you. All these information will be stored in Fastag and can be checked at run-time via sensors deployed all over the city.
Based on the location of these Fastags, the vehicle owners also get discounts and offers, directly from the Govt. or private companies, based on the age of the vehicle, location, distance traveled and more.
Govt. of India has already declared that every new vehicle sold in India has to be equipped with Fastags which means Aadhaar-type ID system for vehicles is no longer a distant dream.
How To Get a Fastag Account?
A FASTag account can be created by visiting any of the Point of Sale (PoS) locations at Toll Plazas or ICICI Bank/Axis Bank sales offices together with original as well as copies of KYC documents along with the vehicle.
Following documents are required to be submitted along with the application form –
- Copy of registration certificate of the vehicle in respect of which Fastag is required.
- A Recent passport sized color photograph of the vehicle owner.
- KYC documents e.g. driving license, PAN card, passport, Voter ID card, Aadhar card etc. as per the category of the vehicle owner.
- A valid driving license is accepted as a valid document for address and ID proof.
The website of the National Highways Authority of India (http://www.nhai.org/) can be referred for further details about FASTag.
Open a Fastag account for ‘Fast & Furious’ toll transactions!!!