Inadequate kiosks to get FASTags at some of the toll plazas on National Highways has forced the motorists to wait for long hours.
Ever since the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) doubled the toll fee for the motorists, who fail to fix FASTags on their vehicles, from February 16 there has been a surge to get FASTag at toll plazas on National Highways.
Special kiosks have been set up near the toll plazas to distribute FASTag.
In some places private banks have deployed personnel to process and distribute FASTag.
Though the number of motorists, who have installed FASTag on their vehicles, has gone up significantly over the period, nearly one third of them continue to pay cash at toll plazas as usual.
The motorists, who were not familiar with the system, often enter into arguments with the toll employees when they demand double fee for allowing them to proceed further on toll roads. A section of them prefer to get FASTag installed on their vehicles before proceeding further.
They have to produce the registration certificate of the vehicles, Aadhaar card or Permanent Account Number for the FASTag.
At the toll plaza at Ponnambalapatti on Tiruchi-Dindigul Highway, there is just a kiosk functioning for processing FASTag applications.
At any point of time at least 25 to 40 motorists stand at the kiosk to get the tag. It takes at least 45 minutes to process and activate FASTag for a person. It depends on the Internet connectivity. As the day progresses, the queue becomes longer.
“I am waiting for more than 90 minutes for my turn. It should have at least three or four kiosks at each toll plaza for processing tag applications,” said T. Kamalakannan of Tiruchi.
The motorists were asked to pay ₹550 for activation. Moreover, those who possess smart phones only, could get the tags. Others were asked to visit banks to get the tags.
“The system supports only to those, who have smart phones and digital payment options. I am not familiar with smart phones as I have a basic mobile phone. So I couldn’t get the tag and I was forced to pay double fee. It is unfair,” rued A. Bose of Dindigul, a driver of a mini load carrier.
