Nitin Gadkari announces enforcement of mandatory FASTag in India, details inside
FASTag mandatory in India: Union Minister Nitin Gadkari on Thursday announced that FASTag is being made mandatory for all vehicles in India from January 1, 2021 (New Year), the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways said. He said that it was useful for commuters as they will not need to stop at toll plazas for cash payments, saving time and fuel.
Enumerating the benefits of FASTag being mandatory in India, Nitin Gadkari said, it is useful for the commuters as they will not need to stop at toll plazas for cash payments. It also saves time and fuel.
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The FASTags were launched in the year 2016, and four banks together issued nearly a lakh of them. By 2017, their numbers went up to seven lakh. Over 34 lakh FASTags were issued in 2018.
Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways had issued a notification in November this year making FASTag mandatory by January 1, 2021, in old vehicles also sold before December 1, 2017, through amendments in CMVR, 1989.
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As per Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989, since 1st December 2017, the FASTag had been made mandatory for all registration of new four-wheeled Vehicles and is being supplied by the Vehicle Manufacturer or their dealers.
It had further been mandated that the renewal of fitness certificate will be done only after the fitment of FASTag for the Transport Vehicles. For National Permit Vehicles, the fitment of FASTag was mandated since 1st October 2019.
It has also been mandated that a valid FASTag is mandatory while getting a new 3rd Party Insurance through an amendment in FORM 51 (certificate of Insurance), wherein the details of FASTag ID shall be captured. This shall be applicable w.e.f. 1 April 2021.
This would be a major step for ensuring that the payment of fees by 100 percent at Toll Plazas through the Electronic Means only and that the vehicles pass seamlessly through the Fee Plazas. There would be no waiting time at the Plazas and would save fuel.
-PTC News
