FASTag, which is an electronic toll collection system in India, has now become mandatory across the country after episodes of extension to get settled for the new system that has been implemented with the aim that it would reduce the consumption of more time in the toll plazas and would let vehicles travel seamlessly. People who have failed to fit into the new system would be levied to pay double the toll fare across the country. 

On Sunday, the Central government said that it had made FASTag mandatory from February 15th midnight. In a statement, the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways said that it has decided that all the lanes in the toll plazas on the National Highways would be declared as 'FASTag lane of the fee plaza', and the travelers who don't have FASTag would be made to pay twice the toll charge from February 16. 

The statement stated, "As per National Highways Fee Rules 2008, any vehicle not fitted with FASTag or vehicle without valid, functional FASTag entering into the FASTag lane of the fee plaza shall pay a fee equivalent to two times of the fee applicable to that category". The Ministry has clarified that this has been done to further promote fee payment through digital mode, reduce waiting time, and fuel consumption, and provide for a seamless passage through the fee plazas. 

While speaking to reporters at Nagpur airport, Union Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari on Sunday said that the deadline for implementation of FASTag would not be extended further and the owners of the vehicles should immediately adopt the electronic payment system. The minister stated that the FASTag registration has gone up to 90 percent on some routes and only 10 percent of people are left. 

According to reports, the Central government has mandated the fitment of FASTag in 'M' and 'N' categories of motor vehicles with effect from January 1, 2021. Category 'M' stands for a motor vehicle with at least four wheels used for carrying passengers while Category 'N' stands for a motor vehicle with at least four wheels used for carrying goods, which may also carry persons along with the goods. Though the government fixed the deadline to fit the FASTag system as January 1, 2021, it had later extended till February 15, 2021. 

As the deadline has come to an end, the government has asserted that the deadline won't be extended further and the people who are yet to fit the e-payment facility would be pushed to pay double the fare amount in the toll plazas from February 16. The government said that the people can fit the facility at the toll plazas and they can use it for seamless travel. FASTag is the electronic toll collection system in India, operated by the National Highway Authority of India. 

Established in 2016, FASTag functions with the Radio Frequency Identification Technology for making toll payments directly from the prepaid or savings account linked to it. When the vehicle nears the toll plaza, the frequency installed at the plaza will automatically deduct the money from the account linked with FASTag and the travelers can have the unhindered journey without waiting for more time in toll plazas to pay the fare through cash.