PIB News Update: Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Shri Nitin Gadkari has informed that in July 2019, Government announced the FASTag mandate of declaring all lanes except one lane of National Highways fee plazas as “FASTag lane of Fee Plaza” w.e.f. 1st December 2019. In order to facilitate sufficient lead time to citizens to obtain FASTag, the mandate was shifted to 15th December 2019 and the system was implemented across the country. Considering the request of National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and keeping in view inconvenience to citizens, Government decided that 25 percent of the FASTag lanes may be temporarily converted to hybrid lanes with the approval of Regional Officer concerned for next 30 days from 15th December 2019. It was further decided to relax the conditions regarding declaration of FASTag fee lanes for 30 days from 15th January 2020 at only 65 fee plazas of NHAI so that citizens are not put into inconvenience. These 65 fee plazas have been allowed to operate up to 25 per cent of all fee lanes as hybrid (cash plus FASTag) lanes during this period. For rest of the fee plazas the system has been implemented as per mandate.
Further, the relaxation was provided to only 30 fee plazas of NHAI for 30 days from 14th February 2020, and these 30 fee plazas have been allowed to operate up to 25 per cent of all fee lanes as hybrid (cash plus FASTag) lanes during this period.
Congestion and waiting time for valid FASTag vehicle in FASTag lanes has reduced significantly.