FASTag Downloads on a Rise as the Bids Towards a Digitized Economy Gathers Pace

1. FASTag Downloads on a Rise as the Bids Towards a Digitized Economy Gathers Pace While commuting on the National Highways (NHs), you may have come across a board above one of the toll booths which reads ‘FASTag’, which allows vehicles to pass through without a stop. Those vehicles use FASTags. It is a tag which allows specific tools to automatically deduct the toll charges for the car, without going through the hassle of stopping for cash transactions on the toll gates. FASTag is Radio- frequency Identification (RFID) technology enabled and is affixed on the vehicle’s windscreen. To make the purchase of the FASTags more convenient for the users, two mobile applications are in place. More than 2 million people have now purchased FASTags, which is a magnificent achievement. The users can purchase FASTags on the web from the National Highways Authority of India, IHMCL (Indian Highways Management Company Ltd) and several issuing banks’ websites. According to a report, national and state highways in India amount to less than 5 percent of the roads but account for 80 percent of traffic. This discrepancy also suggests that vehicles halting for cash transactions at toll booths are adding to the disarray. FASTags are rechargeable and the entire journey across the NH’s can be undertaken without stopping at a toll booth. Now 25% of the total toll collection is done through FASTags. The efficient system put in place guarantees delivery via courier within two days of purchase. Customers can also buy and activate their FASTags at Point of Sale (POS) locations. Benefits of FASTags The benefits of having a FASTag are many. Firstly, the payment on toll plazas becomes incredibly hassle free and prompt. There is no need to carry cash while passing through tolls as well. The congestion problems on the NHs which the country has faced in the recent years are also addressed as the movement of vehicles across the toll plazas are nearly non-stop. The customers also receive SMS alerts for toll transactions and low balance. Customers can avail 10 percent cash back for each toll payment they make. A web portal designed and customised for customers turns it into a complete package. Ease of Recharge and Usage at Toll Plazas Multiple recharge facilities of FASTags enables customers to recharge by cheque or online via Debit Cards, Credit Cards, RTGS, NEFT or Net Banking. The recharge can vary between the set limit of Rs 100 and Rs 1 lakh at a single time. The issuing agency also has their own way of allowing customers to recharge their FASTags. The usage of the tags is simple and saves time of the travellers passing through the tolls. Whenever a customer is passing through a FASTag enabled toll booth, the RFID technology electronically deducts the exact toll amounts automatically. For this, the customers are required to keep sufficient funds in their bank account, which is linked to their FASTag accounts. As the purchases have already exceeded the one million mark, the efforts of the NHAI in guiding India towards a digital revolution have paid dividends. #Tollplazas #FASTag #HighwaysinIndia