FASTag has now been made mandatory at all toll plazas in the state and the implementation of this decision has started from Tuesday, April 1. On the first day, Tuesday, as many as 11,800 vehicles traveled without FASTags on the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation's (MSRDC) Bandra-Worli Sea Bridge, Mumbai-Pune Expressway, and Nagpur-Igatpuri Highway of the Nagpur-Mumbai Samruddhi Highway.
MSRDC collected double the toll from these vehicles travelling without FASTags, earning additional revenue of INR 10,000. Importantly, the maximum number of vehicles travelling without FASTags on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway was 6,000. Importantly, the majority of vehicles traveling without FASTags are light four-wheelers.
The central government implemented the FASTag system six-seven years ago to bring transparency and consistency in toll collection. Now, strict implementation of this decision of the central government has started in the state. FASTag has been made mandatory at all toll plazas from April 1 and double toll has started being collected from vehicles without FASTag. Ever since the decision to make FASTag mandatory was taken, the government and MSRDC have been appealing to affix FASTag stickers by April 1. Although this appeal has received a good response, on the other hand, it has come to light that the number of people traveling without FASTags on the first day itself is significant.
According to information received from sources, on the first day, as many as 11,800 vehicles traveled without FASTags on three important MSRDC roads. Sources said that 6,000 vehicles travelled on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway on Tuesday without FASTags, and most of them were four-wheelers. Double the toll has been collected from these vehicles. Meanwhile, 1.5 lakh vehicles ply on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway every day.
Double toll collection from 1,300 vehicles on Samruddhi Highway
Approximately 25,000 vehicles ply on the Nagpur-Igatpuri Highway on the Samruddhi Highway every day. It has also become clear that there are a considerable number of people traveling on this highway without FASTags. MSRDC collected double the toll from 1,300 vehicles traveling on the Samruddhi Highway without FASTags on Tuesday.
Vehicles without FASTags in Mumbai too
It has come to light that a large number of vehicles in Mumbai too do not have FASTags. Approximately 70,000 vehicles ply on the Bandra-Worli Sea Link every day, out of which as many as 4500 vehicles travelled without FASTags on Tuesday. All these vehicles are light four-wheelers and double toll were collected from these vehicles. The collection of double toll added approximately nine lakh rupees to the treasury. The number of vehicles travelling without FASTag at the toll plazas at the entrances to Mumbai could not be obtained. However, there is a possibility that the number of vehicles travelling from there without FASTags will be more. Meanwhile, now that FASTags are mandatory, they will have to bear the brunt of double toll. Therefore, MSRDC has appealed to all vehicle drivers and owners to immediately affix FASTag stickers to their vehicles.
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