With just 15 days left for the roll-out of the FASTag - the government's plant to integrate the collection of toll digitally and ensure seamless mobility of vehicles across India - the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has deployed officers to monitor the implementation of the scheme. The ministry, in a memorandum on Friday, mentioned that the implementation of 100 per cent ETC (Electronic Toll Collection) will start from December 1. "In order to ensure smooth transition it has been decided to deploy CE/SEs/EE posted in Headquarter, New Delhi as Central Prabhari Officer (CPO) to states assigned as per the list attached," it mentioned. Under the ministry's latest circular on the scheme, the concerned CPO shall undertake three visits from November 17 to December 10. Each visit shall be a minimum of three days (excluding travel time). The officers shall submit the tour report along with the status report on each point as per the checklist of each fee plaza with details after each visit. Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari had on October 14 inaugurated the “One Nation One FASTag” scheme at the Indian Mobile Congress in New Delhi. The scheme can be availed upon activation by new cars having Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tags on national and state highways throughout the country. FASTags are stickers that are affixed to the windscreen of vehicles and use RFID technology to enable digital, contactless payment of tolls without having to stop at toll gates. The tags are linked to bank accounts and other payment methods. As a car crosses a toll plaza, the amount is automatically deducted, and a notification is sent to the registered mobile phone number. Sensors are placed on toll barriers, and the barriers open for vehicles having valid FASTags. A FASTag is valid for five years and needs to be recharged only as per requirement. At present, 60 lakh vehicles in India have FASTags. According to the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), these devices will make passing through tolls considerably smoother since drivers will no longer have to carry cash or stop to make a transaction.
