Good bye FASTag? The new toll collection system has arrived, how will the satellite based toll system work?

Is it time to say goodbye to FASTag? Now you will not have to stop at any toll gate to pay the toll tax, because now there will be a new satellite based system. The central government has approved the GPS based toll system. However, initially you will get the option of both, which will have both FASTag and satellite system.

The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways on Tuesday amended the National Highway Fee (Determination of Rates and Collection) Rules, 2008. It includes electronic toll collection with the help of satellite-based system.

What is satellite based toll collection system?

For the satellite based toll collection system, the driver of a car or other vehicle will not need to stop at any toll plaza. The money will be deducted automatically from the system installed in the car. However, there are no details about whether the FASTag system will be discontinued or not.

Also read: What is satellite based toll system?

It will be much faster than FASTag

Regarding this, the Union Minister has already said that the satellite based toll collection system will be much faster than FASTag. After the arrival of the satellite based toll system, many questions are also coming up whether the FASTag system will be abolished or both the systems will continue to work.

What is the 20 kilometer rule?

It has been told in the notification that if a car or any other vehicle travels on a highway, expressway, tunnel or bridge, on which toll tax is applicable, then a journey of 20 km will be free. If this journey is more than 20 km, then money will be charged as per the prescribed rules.

FASTag works on RFID tags

The existing FASTag system works on RFID tags, which is an automatic toll collection system. This tag is connected to an account which is provided by the bank. In this, the users have to keep some balance on their side, that amount is deducted from the FASTag account as soon as they cross the toll barrier.

Also read: A man was resting at home when money was deducted from his FASTag

There is also a rule of collecting double toll in this

If FASTag gets blocked or does not work, then double toll tax has to be paid in the form of cash payment at the toll plaza. A similar rule is also there in the satellite based toll collection system. There will be a separate lane for this, if a vehicle without GPS enters it, then double toll will be charged from it.