By TIOL News Service

NEW DELHI, FEB 15, 2021: THE Road Transport and Highways Ministry on Sunday said the deadline for the implementation of FASTag by vehicle owners will be pushed to midnight of February 15, 2021.

"All lanes in the fee plazas on national highways shall be declared as 'FASTag lane of the fee plaza' with effect from midnight of February 15-16, 2021," announced the ministry.

FASTag facilitates electronic payment of fee at toll plazas, making the process of travelling seamless along the highways without delays. The tags were introduced in 2016 and the government has extended its registration date several times before. The Central government had also extended the FASTag deadline for the vehicles from January 1 to February 15.

"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," said the ministry.

The ministry 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.