India ‘to consider single tag’ for all toll roads

Indian transportation officials will meet this month (October) to discuss implementing a ‘One Nation One Tag’ policy to replace multiple smart tags being used on toll roads.

<%$Linker:2External<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-16"?><dictionary />000link-external The Times of Indiafalsehttps://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/one-nation-one-tag-for-seamless-travel-and-paying-entry-tax/articleshow/71318590.cmsfalsefalse%> says the Fastag RFID-based smart tag is being used to pay tolls on the national highway network – but that commercial vehicles must have a separate tag to enter Delhi.

An unnamed official is quoted as saying: "Why should people be made to buy multiple smart tags to pay toll on different roads? There have been complaints from many commuters that they can't pay the user fee on state roads through the Fastag fitted in their vehicles. Until the same tag is allowed across all roads, and even for paying the parking charges in cities, this will not be that popular. The benefits of using the Fastag should drive people to go for the tags rather than forcing people to buy them.”

Fastags can be used to pay tolls on 17 state roads in Uttar Pradesh, the Outer Ring Road of Hyderabad, plus some roads under the state road development corporations in Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh.

The highways ministry has already announced that states can join the central platform without any additional expenses.