Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari has announced that FASTags will become mandatory for all vehicles from December this year. Additionally, non-Fastag users will be charged double the fees if they use the Fastag lanes.

According to MoRTH, there will be one hybrid lane at every toll plaza to facilitate over-sized vehicles. This lane will accept Fastag as well as other modes of payment.

All lanes in the fee plazas shall be declared as “FASTag lane of fee plaza by December 1, 2019″ Everyone crossing toll plaza have to install FASTag or electronic toll collection device in your vehicle or be ready to cough up double the toll fees as all lanes at the toll plaza will be converted into FASTag lane shortly, reports said.

FASTag is a simple to use; reloadable tag which enables automatic deduction of toll charges and lets you pass through the toll plaza without stopping for the cash transaction.

The government aims to promote the faster payment of fees through the digital mode. Another benefit would be faster movement of vehicular traffic and reduction of jams at the toll plazas.

FASTag is attached to the windscreen and uses radio frequency identification (RFID) technology to enable direct toll payments while the vehicle is moving. The toll fare is deducted from the bank account linked to FASTag.