On a public interest petition that was filed in the Bombay High Court on FASTag, the court has decided that the application of FASTag will be compulsory for all vehicle owners from April 1.
According to an MSRDC official, this measure has been taken with the motive of making the operation of toll more convenient. Passengers who do not plan on utilizing FASTag from April 1 will have to pay an additional amount, while those possessing FASTag will need to pay the usual fee.
What vehicles to be exempted?
Only light motor vehicles, state transport buses and school buses will be exempted from the payment of toll under the new regulations. All other vehicles will have to pay double when they pay the toll in cash, card or UPI. The rule will be applied at the entry points in Mumbai such as Dahisar, Mulund West, Mulund East, Airoli and Vashi under MSRDC.
Besides that, the payments via FASTag will also be made compulsory from April 1 on Bandra-Worli Sea Link, Mumbai-Pune Expressway, and other key expressways.
What is a FASTag ?
FASTag is an electronic toll collection system based on radio frequency identification (RFID), which is mounted on the vehicle. It deducts the toll amount from the associated account as soon as it reaches the toll plaza, so that the vehicle owner does not have to stop for the toll.
Conclusion
The new FASTag rules which are going to be implemented in Maharashtra from April 1st are aimed at making toll payment easier and increasing convenience for travellers. While the use of FASTag will become compulsory for the majority of the vehicles, travellers opting out of its use will end up paying increased toll charges on cash, card, or UPI. But light motor vehicles, state transport buses, and school buses will be exempt from toll payment under the new policy.
The new policy will be introduced at large toll plazas and important expressways of the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC), such as the Bandra-Worli Sea Link and Mumbai-Pune Expressway. Through these changes, the objective is to enhance toll management and cut down on congestion, ensuring that the journey is smoother for all users of the road.
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