FASTag Made Compulsory For All Four-Wheelers From January 2021: Here Are The Details!

As per the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989, FASTag had been made mandatory since December 2017, for all four-wheelers at the time of registrations. The rules further state that going forward the fitness certificate will be renewed only after the fitment of FASTag.

It also stated that a valid FASTag will be required while getting a new 3rd party insurance, which will capture the details on the FASTag ID. This new process is scheduled to be applicable with effect from 1st April 2021.

The government is said to have taken steps to ensure the availability of FASTags across a number of physical locations across the country. Motorists can also purchase the FASTag ID online, within the next two months.

MoRTH has announced that going forward, it plans to make all toll plaza payments to be made exclusively via electronic means. This according to the government will reduce the waiting time at highway tolls and ensure a seamless movement of vehicles.

FASTag is a prepaid RFID(Radio Frequency Identification) tag which is fixed on the front windshield of four-wheelers. The tag automatically deducts the toll charges, allowing to make direct payment as soon as the vehicle closes in at a toll plaza. The FASTag can either be prepaid or linked to a savings account, allowing vehicles to pass through tolls, without the necessity of stopping.

The FASTag currently comes fixed with the purchase of a new car. People with older cars can purchase the FASTag from a number of locations, including a few banks or even online, depending on their convenience.

Thoughts On FASTag Being Made Mandatory For Old Vehicles

FASTag is an electronic toll payment method, which has been implemented on all new cars in the market. Now, with the government's plans to make the entire toll payment, exclusively via electronic means, all older vehicles will also need to mandatorily get the RFID tag.