Budget 2024 | Beyond the booth: How FASTag’s digital toll system accelerated India’s highway experience – Progress Report

As of November 30th, 2023, over 7.98 crore FASTags were issued. (Image: PTI)

Highways in India are the lifelines of the nation’s transportation system. However, toll booths, once considered necessary evils, often created bottlenecks and hampered the smooth flow of traffic. Enter FASTag, an electronic toll collection system that has revolutionized the way we pay tolls in India. The traditional practice of paying user fees in cash at road toll plazas is rapidly being replaced by FASTags and other electronic payment systems, aiming to enhance the seamless experience of road travel.

For those unaware, FASTag is a small RFID (Radio-frequency identification) tag that is affixed to the windshield of a vehicle. As the vehicle approaches a toll plaza, the tag is read by an electronic reader, and the toll amount is automatically deducted from the linked prepaid account or bank account. This eliminates the need for drivers to stop at toll booths, saving time, fuel, and money.

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FASTag Impact so far:

Since its nationwide rollout, FASTag has transformed the toll collection landscape in India. Here are some of its key impacts:

Seamless Movement: With FASTag, vehicles can drive through toll plazas without stopping, significantly reducing congestion and travel time. The average wait time at toll plazas has decreased from 8 minutes to just 45 seconds!

Enhanced Efficiency: The electronic system eliminates the need for manual toll collection, leading to faster transactions and improved operational efficiency at toll plazas.

Increased Revenue: FASTag has led to a significant increase in toll collection due to higher compliance and reduced leakages. As of November 30, 2023, Fastags have achieved a toll collection penetration rate of 98%.

Transparency and Accountability: The electronic system provides real-time data on toll transactions, ensuring transparency and accountability in the toll collection process.

Environmental Benefits: By reducing congestion and idling time at toll plazas, FASTag contributes to reduced fuel consumption and emissions.

Progress so far: Delivery on Budget promises

– Effective midnight on February 15th/16th, 2021, the government designated all lanes at fee plazas on National Highways as FASTag lanes.

– As of November 30th, 2023, over 7.98 crore FASTags were issued.

– The penetration of toll collection through FASTags has achieved a rate of 98% as of November 30th, 2023.

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– In a bid to further reduce wait times, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) has initiated a pilot project for barrier-free tolling using Automatic Number Plate Recognition (APNR) technology on the Delhi-Meerut Expressway.

FASTag has undoubtedly revolutionized toll collection in India. With its continued adoption and improvement, FASTag is poised to play a critical role in enhancing the efficiency, transparency, and sustainability of the country’s transportation system.