FASTag is making roads safer with contactless toll collection.
Amid the coronavirus pandemic, we are required to maintain social distancing and the technology at our disposal is helping us achieve that. We have already mentioned an app 1point5 developed by the United Nations that inform users whenever someone enters their 1.5-metre radius.
There is yet another technology that is helping us stay safe during the COVID-19 pandemic and the best thing is, we are already using it. FASTag was made mandatory for vehicles crossing the toll gates at the National Highways starting January 15, 2020. The electronic toll collection system and FASTag in India are helping make the highways of the country safer.
What is FASTag and how it enables safe toll collection
The FASTag is a small reusable tag that needs to be affixed to your vehicle’s windshield. It works on RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) technology to allows instant cashless payments either from your bank account or from your FASTag linked wallet towards the toll collection.
The technology aims to enable smooth flow of vehicles on National Highways but has also proved to be the safest mode of paying toll charges considering the COVID-19 outbreak. Contactless payment of toll nullifies the chances of contracting coronavirus as the driver doesn’t even need to stop the vehicle at the toll gate let alone come in contact with a toll booth worker.
There is no need to stop the car at the toll gate or transact using cash or card. All you need to do is just drive past the gate and the toll amount gets deducted from the linked bank account or wallet.
During the nationwide lockdown, the movement of vehicles at the national highways is only a portion of what it used to be. However, the movement is increasing after the government announced some relaxation in green and orange zones.
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As India is gearing up for a life post-COVID-19 lockdown, NHAI (National Highways Authority of India) foresees an increase of commercial and private vehicles on national highways in the coming days. This will increase the chances of coronavirus spread. In such a scenario, NHAI recommends that FASTags should be the preferred mode of toll payments as it is the safest mode for toll transactions on highways. If you do not have FASTag, click here to know what you should do.