The Ministry of Road Transport has extended the deadline for 100% collection of toll charges on the National Highway (NH) network to 15 February via FASTag. Earlier, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) had announced complete elimination for cash transactions, only to pay toll charges through FASTag from 1 January.
Fastag was made mandatory for new four-wheelers from December 1, 2017, onwards at the time of registration. To implement this entire decision, the government amended the Central Motor Vehicles Act-1989.
Currently, the transaction share by FASTag is around 75–80%. In a communication to NHAI, the ministry has stated that the highway authority will ensure 100% cashless duty collection from 15 February.
On December 24, Fastag's bumper transaction took place across the country. The National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) reported that it was the first time under the National Electronic Toll Collection (NETC) program that a toll collection of over Rs 80 crore was caused by Fastag in one day. On 24 December 2020, a Fastag transaction of over 50 lakhs was done in a single day.
An official said, "Cash is a legal method of transaction and no one can be denied to pay in cash." Therefore, the best option would be strict enforcement of the motor vehicle rule, which has made the valid FASTag mandatory. ”