Govt. issues 347,200 electronics tags for toll collection

The government has issued 347,200 electronic tags to the participating banks for fee collection on national highways says minister of state for road transport and highways Pon. Radhakrishnan in Lok Sabha.

The National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) has been engaged to work as Central Clearing House (CCH) to implement inter-operability so that several banks could participate in the EFC programme. As on March 3, 2017, the participating banks such as SBI, KVB, ICICI, AXIS, IDFC and Equitas SF Bank have been issued a total 3,47,200 electronic tags for fee collection on national highways.

The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has incorporated Indian Highway Management Company Limited (IHMCL) to expedite the implementation of electronic fee collection (EFC).

The road users are being encouraged to use electronic means for payment of user fees for seamless travel through fee plazas. The government has also notified the use of pre-paid payment instruments vide Notification G.S.R 1114 (E) dated 02nd December, 2016 for collection of user fee from road users. This is to permit road users to opt for available cashless modes of payment.

NHAI has facilitated the concessionaire and contractor to use PoS (point of sales) machines for collection of user fees through credit and debit card. Since, FASTag is not mandatory for payment of user fees for use of national highways therefore there is no target has been fixed.

This information was given by the Minister of State for Road Transport and Highways Shri Pon. Radhakrishnan in written reply to a question in Lok Sabha today.