Fastag - How To Pay Toll Online?
Publish Date: November 05th, 2019
By: Sandhya Kannan, Head – Content
FASTag is a simple toll card that is easy-to-use and can be reloaded when needed. The Fastag allows instant toll charges deduction when you are driving past a toll plaza. The automatic deduction of toll fees is highly convenient rather than stopping and making cash transactions, each time you pass by a toll.
A Fastag is connected to a prepaid account, wherein you can load in a specific amount of money, and the appropriate toll amount gets deducted when passing through the toll plaza.
Understanding how a Fastag operates
Fastag makes use of Radiofrequency Identification [RFID] technology. This tag is placed on the windscreen of your vehicle after your tag account becomes functional. A Fastag is an ideal solution, especially if you often commute on the national highways. Currently, Fastag is operational at over 180 toll plazas in India across state and national highways. More and more toll plazas are introducing the Fastag policy, and an increasing number of booths are likely to accept Fastag in the future.
Electronic collection of tolls via Fastag
A program known as the Electronic Toll Collection has been introduced by the National Highways Authority Of India, on toll plazas across national highways.
As a device, Fastag uses RFID technology to make toll payments directly to the prepaid account linked to it. The Fastag device is typically placed on the windscreen of a vehicle to enable seamless drive-through toll plazas. The Fastag is valid for five years, and you need to recharge or top-up payments based on your travel frequency and requirement.
With the help of a Fastag, you can travel without stopping at toll plazas, thus providing you with the convenience of cashless payments across nationwide electronic toll collection services.
Advantages of using Fastag
There are many benefits of using Fastag for toll recharge. These include:
- Secure payment without the need for carrying cash and stopping to make payments for toll transactions. Saves crucial time and prevents traffic log at toll junctions.
- Almost non-stop movement of vehicles with a Fastag affixed to the windscreen; thus ensuring lesser fuel costs.
- You can recharge your Fastag online through your debit or credit card or online banking services.
- Receive real-time SMS alerts on your toll transactions when you pass through a toll booth. You can also receive SMS notifications regarding your Fastag recharge and low balance.
- Dedicated portal for Fastag customers.
Additional advantages include:
- Lower carbon footprint with reduced use of paper receipts.
- Almost nil payment hassles at toll booth centres. Also, improved analytics for enhanced management.
- Reduced efforts in managing toll plazas, thus calling for lesser workforce and central monitoring
Adopting Fastag as a means of secure toll payment
Currently, you can voluntarily apply for the Fastag program. However, shortly, it could become a mandatory requirement in specific areas. Fastag can be affixed to all kinds, categories, types and makes of vehicles.
Fastag charges
You can purchase Fastag at the tag joining fee of ₹100 including GST. There is also a one-time fee ranging from ₹200-₹500, depending on the make and type of the vehicle to obtain a Fastag. Based on your vehicle type, you may be required to deposit a refundable amount. To know more about issuer agencies, you may want to visit the website for further details.
Documents required to buy Fastag
The following documents must be submitted along with the application for Fastag. These are:
- Vehicle registration certificate
- Passport-sized photograph
- KYC documentation based on the category of the vehicle owner. These include driving license, PAN card, passport or Aadhar card.
Conclusion
If you own more than one vehicle, you need to take a separate Fastag for each vehicle. The minimum recharge amount or top-up is ₹100 and a maximum recharge of one lakh rupees. In the event that your Fastag gets damaged, you can approach your issuer agency to get a new replacement. With the advent of convenient and seamless online banking, you can also take advantage of investing in stocks by opening a demat and trading account with a well-reputed stockbroker such as Kotak Securities.
