Centre announces mandatory FASTag from January 2021

Mangalore Today News Network / NDTV

New Delhi, Dec 24, 2020:    The government has enforced the use of FASTag mandatorily for all vehicles starting from January 1, 2021. While addressing a virtual function, Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari, announced on Thursday, December 24, that FASTag is being made mandatory for all vehicles across the country from January 1, 2021. The 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 Central Motor Vehicles Rules (CMVR), 1989.

 

A valid FASTag is also mandatory while getting new third party insurance through an amendment in form 51 (certificate of Insurance), wherein the details of FASTag ID will be captured. This will be applicable from April 1, 2021. FASTag encourages the use of digital payments at toll plazas and also help in saving fuel.

According to the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989, 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 since December 1, 2017. It was further mandated that the renewal of the fitness certificate will be done only after the installation of FASTag for the transport vehicles. For all the national permit vehicles, the installation of FASTag was mandated since October 1, 2019.

Where To Get FASTag?

FASTag may be purchased from all national highway fee plazas, Regional Transport Offices (RTOs), common service centres, transport hubs as well as petrol pumps, according to the Road Ministry.

How To Get FASTag?

As part of the temporary offer, users will be able to get a FASTag free of cost at authorised physical point-of-sale locations by producing a valid registration certificate (RC) of the vehicle, according to the official statement.

The applicable security deposit and the minimum balance amount for FASTag wallet will, however, remain unchanged, the Road Ministry said. Users can download mobile app MyFastag or connect with the telephone helpline 1033 to locate the nearest FASTag point of sale (PoS), it added.