In-Fastag User—The government has introduced certain changes to the FASTag rules that apply exclusively to drivers from Maharashtra. The regulation states that FASTag will be mandatory in all toll plazas of the state, effective April 1, 2025. This will serve the purpose of making faster payments of tolls and reducing traffic congestion at toll booth queues.
What Is FASTag?
FASTag is a small electronic tag that is affixed to a vehicle windshield. It can be recharged when needed, just like your mobile phone. The machine at the toll plaza reads the tag when you pass it and deducts the toll automatically from the total amount in your prepaid account. So, without stopping, you go straight through.
Maharashtra FASTag New Rules
From April 1, 2025, all vehicles that pass through a toll plaza in Maharashtra will be required to have FASTag. The announcement was made by the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation. This new rule aims to ensure a complete cashless toll payment system and reduce waiting time for vehicles at the booth.
You may pay the cash, card, or UPI for tolls if you do not pay using FASTag. However, you will then be paying double the amount of toll charges. This announcement has been passed around all MSRDC authorities.
Exempted Vehicles
Not all vehicles are covered in this regard. At the above-mentioned five entry points in Mumbai,—namely Mulund West, Mulund East, Airoli, Dahisar, and Vashi toll plazas—school buses, light motor vehicles, and state transportation buses are exempt from using FASTag.
Except for these key highways, FASTag's remaining rules shall be rigidly applied on other National Highways and Major High Roads, like on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway, the Old Mumbai-Pune Highway, and Mumbai-Nagpur Samruddhi Expressway.
Where to Get FASTag
You can get FASTag from toll plazas, bank branches, or online from bank websites, digital wallets, or payment apps. You can even download the MyFASTag app to get FASTag. It is a lot easier to recharge from the point you obtain your FASTag. Several apps let you transfer money to your FASTag account, such as PhonePe, Google Pay, Amazon Pay, and many others.
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