The following questions were raised in Loksabha regarding use of FASTags at Toll Plazas and total number of fastags issued as on date
As on 28.01.2020, more than 1.4 Crores FASTags have been issued
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO: 746
ANSWERED ON:06.02.2020
(a) whether the Government is aware that only 50 per cent of FASTags are issued by various agencies in the country;
(b) if so, the details thereof;
(c) the number of toll plazas which have hybrid lanes in the country; and
(d) the time likely to be taken to make all the toll plazas FASTag compliant and avoid hardship to road users?
ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS
(SHRI NITIN JAIRAM GADKARI)
(a) &(b) FASTag is being issued through multiple channels and Point of Sale (PoS) including ecommerce platforms. There are twenty-four (24) banks (including Public and Private sector banks) engaged as Issuer Banks for FASTag issuance to road users and eight (08) Acquirer Banks to process the transactions at fee plazas. As on 28.01.2020, more than 1.4 Crores FASTags have been issued.
(c) &(d) 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.
