'FASTag mandatory from January 1, 2021,' says Union Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari

Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari while addressing a virtual event on Thursday announced that FASTag is being made mandatory for all vehicles in the country from New Year. The Union minister said that FASTag will be enforced from January 1, 2021. Highlighting the benefits of the FAStag, the Union Minister said that it is useful for commuters as they will not need to stop at toll plazas for cash payments and it will also saved time and fuel.

The FASTags were launched in the year 2016, and 4 banks together issued nearly a lakh of them. According to a release, by 2017, 7 lakh FASTags were issued and by 2018 over 34 lakh FASTags were issued. 

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Nitin Gadkari: FASTag mandatory from Jan 1

Earlier in November, the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways had issued a notification making FASTag mandatory by January 1, 2021, in old vehicles which were sold before December 1, 2017, through amendments in (Central Motor Vehicles Rules) CMVR, 1989. According to CMVR, 1989, since December 1, 2017, 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. It had further been mandated that the renewal of fitness certificate will be done only after the fitment of FASTag for transport vehicles.

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For National Permit Vehicles, the fitment of FASTag was mandated since October 1, 2019. It has also been mandated that a valid FASTag is 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 new rule will be applicable by April 1, 2021. 

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The Ministry said, "This would be a major step for ensuring that the payment of fees be 100 per cent at toll plazas through the Electronic Means only and that the vehicles pass seamlessly through the Fee Plazas. There would be no waiting time at the Plazas and would save fuel." The steps for ensuring the availability of FASTag at multiple channels are being made through physical locations and also through online mechanisms so that the citizens are able to have them affixed at their vehicles within the next two months at their convenience, it added.

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(With ANI inputs)