FASTag, the system based on radio frequency identification (RFID) technology, is set to become mandatory in India from December 15 after government extended the deadline by two weeks. The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways brought FASTag as a pilot project back in 2014. But in March this year, the government announced that it made mandatory for toll lanes in the country to have Electronic Toll Collection (ETC) infrastructure to starting supporting vehicles equipped with FASTag. As per the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), the National Electronic Toll Collection (NETC) programme that brings FASTag to the mainstream is currently live at over 500 toll plazas across the country.
In this article, we're detailing how you can buy a FASTag[1] RFID tag for your vehicle and where to recharge an existing FASTag tag. So let's get started.
How to buy a FASTag?
New vehicles by all major automobile companies would by default support the ETC infrastructure-powered toll plazas. However, if you're looking to upgrade your existing vehicle with the latest technology, you can purchase a FASTag.
The Indian Highways Management Company (IHMCL) earlier this month also tweeted[2] that the FASTag will be available free of cost until December 1, and the Rs. 150 as security deposit will be borne by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI).
You can purchase it from a nearby bank branch of State Bank of India (SBI)[3], ICICI Bank[4], HDFC Bank[5], and Axis Bank[6] among others. As many as 22 certified banks are eligible to issue[7] FASTags through channels such as Point-of-Sale (POS) machines at select toll plazas and their local branches. You can also buy them online...