75 per cent FASTag lanes rolled out at toll plazas in Karnataka

BENGALURU: The mandatory FASTag system for 75% electronic toll collection was launched at all national highway toll plazas in Karnataka on Sunday.


Although National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) officials had planned to have a single lane for cash transactions, three to four cash lanes were available at most toll plazas in the state.

The mandatory FASTag system for 75% electronic toll collection was launched at all national highway toll plazas in Karnataka on Sunday

While the ministry of road transport and highways had earlier mandated 100% electronic toll collection on national highways, it announced late Saturday that it has been relaxed to have at least 75%.

The relaxed mandate is expected to be in place till January 15. The 100% implemention was scheduled for December 1. On November 29, the deadline was pushed to December 15.

FASTag-only lanes remained fairly congestionfree on Sunday while cash lanes at most toll plazas, including the

Nelamangala

and airport road toll plazas saw bumper-to-bumper traffic. Several people without

FASTags

straying into FASTag lanes were imposed double toll charges as penalty on Sunday. The total number of such violators was not immediately available with NHAI.

“We decided to have three to four cash lanes instead of one to accommodate weekend traffic. Cash transactions are still happening but more people are buying FASTags,” said Somasekhar SP, project director-NHAI, Bengaluru.

NHAI officials confirmed that although the 75% target was not achieved at any of the toll plazas till 3pm, on Saturday, people buying FASTags saw a a spike. “People are buying them at toll plazas and even coming to NHAI offices to pick up the tags,” Somasekhar said.

NHAI officials pointed out that many were buying the FASTags but not activating them. “We’re creating awareness about it,” an NHAI official said.