National Highways Authority of India has decided to remove minimum amount of balance required in FASTag wallet.
As NHAI is making FASTag mandatory by 15th February 2021, and has 80 per cent of all NHAI users, it is making FASTag more easier, simple and acceptable to adopt for rest of NHAI users.
“In order to increase the FASTag penetration to ensure seamless movement of traffic and to reduce avoidable delays at the toll plazas, NHAI has decided to remove the mandatory threshold amount for the FASTag account / wallet, which was paid by the user in addition to the security deposit for the passenger segment (Car/Jeep/Van),” NHAI said in a statement.
This will ensure faster and seamless movement of traffic at toll gates.
Apart from minimum balance in FASTag, banks were also seen mandating some threshold amount in FASTag wallet.
As per the new NHAI notice, vehicles will be allowed to pass trough toll gates, even if FASTag wallet doesn’t have sufficient funds (but wallet should be not negative)
If the wallet balance becomes negative after crossing the toll, the bank can recover the remaining amount from deposit/re-charge made next by the user, statement added.
FASTag already has 2.5 crore users, which constitutes to 80 percent of all toll collection on NHAI, accounting approx. Rs. 90 crores of toll collection per day on National Highways.
NHAI is nudging road users to move towards FASTag as soon as possible, as it has mandated FASTag by 15th February 2021.