New Delhi: From January 1, 2021, FASTag will be mandatory for four-wheelers or M&N category of vehicles that were sold before December 1, 2017. For this, the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989 were amended.
The Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has issued a notification in this regard. “As per Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989, since 1st December 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,” the release said.
It has also been made mandatory through amendment in Form 51 to have a valid FASTag while taking a new third party insurance. This will include the details of the FASTag ID. This will come into force with effect from April 1, 2021.
The government has claimed that this notification will be a major step towards ensuring 100 per cent payment of duty on toll plazas only electronically and vehicles will be able to pass through the plazas without any interruption. This will prevent vehicles from waiting at the plazas and will save fuel.
What is FASTag?
A FASTag is tag embedded with a unique identification number mounted on the windscreen of a vehicle. As the vehicle reaches the toll plaza, the number is read by the RFID reader. The toll amount is deducted from the linked account.
Where to buy a FASTag?
You can buy FASTags from authorized banks such as Axis Bank, ICICI Bank, IDFC Bank, Syndicate Bank, SBI and HDFC Bank. It can also be purchased from select petrol pumps, RTOs, toll plazas and PayTM. It comes with a validity of 5 years.
Does it need any document?
Documents like vehicle registration certificate, passport size photograph, voter ID card, Aadhaar card, PAN Card or passport will be required to get FASTag.