Indian roads, and especially highways, have become good in the last few years. The infrastructure of the roads has been improved to a great extent, providing uninterrupted traffic flows without any jams on the roads. If you are a frequent traveller, you might not face any problems on these roads and can have a smooth journey, but still, there are some things that are outside our control and you would usually hate during your journeys.
One of such problems travellers face is long queues at toll plazas across the highway, which would save time waiting for your turn. But now the government has introduced FASTag for vehicles made mandatory for four-wheelers from December 2019. More than 600+ toll plazas across the country are equipped with FASTag. Let us get to know about what FASTag is, the benefits of FASTag, how to get FASTag for your vehicles and when your FASTag is blacklisted.
What is FASTag?
With the help of the National Payments Corporation of India, the government of India has developed the NETC program, which refers to the National Electronic Toll Collection. This program allows the collection of toll tax without any human intervention. This program, also known as FASTag, helps reduce the rush at toll plazas across the country. The FASTag is a device that uses RFID technology and radio Frequency Identification, which will deduct the toll charges automatically when the vehicle passes through the FASTag lane of the toll plaza. The FASTag sticker is applied on the front windscreen of the four-wheelers, and when they pass through the toll, money will be auto-debited from the FASTag account linked to the vehicle.
Things to know about FASTag
Though FASTag is an easy and convenient method to pay your toll tax without any human intervention, there are still some points about the technology that are necessary to know before you move your vehicle on highways:
- FASTag can be used at any toll plaza across the country irrespective of whosoever is the acquirer of the toll plaza.
- FASTag is affixed on the front windscreen of the four-wheeler.
- If you own more than one four-wheeler, you must have a separate FASTag for both vehicles. You must use a different FASTag for multiple vehicles.
- Once you have purchased a FASTag for a vehicle, it will be valid for 5 years. You can recharge the FASTag as per the requirement after the initial buying of the FASTag.
- FASTag can be recharged online through net banking, UPI, debit cards, credit cards and Paytm. The minimum amount to recharge FASTag is Rs100, and the maximum is Rs 1,00,000.
- It would help if you always bought FASTag from trusted banking partners only.
- It would help if you never bought a FASTag from a company that asks to link your bank account. You should always use prepaid service for the FASTag.
What are the benefits of using FASTag?
The FASTag has many advantages for the wheeler owners. The benefits of FASTag are listed below:
Cashless Payments
One of the best advantages of making FASTag compulsory is the tension of having an exact change at toll plazas. The transaction will be cashless, and money will be automatically debited from your FASTag wallets.
Mobile Alerts through SMS
Whenever you pass through any toll plaza, you will receive SMS alerts on your registered mobile numbers when money will be deducted from FASTag. You will also receive alerts for low balances in your FASTag wallet.
Online Recharge
This is one of the best advantages of having FASTag. You can recharge it anytime using debit cards, net banking and UPI.
Faster Moving on Highway
Thus, it also reduces the travelling time from one place to another as it will reduce human intervention, saving your precious time.
Cashback Offers
To promote FASTag, the government is providing very good cashback offers for the users. Currently, they are providing 2.5% cashback for every transaction through the FASTag wallet.
How to buy FASTags?
FASTags can be bought from various sources. Many national and private banks provide the facility to create a FASTag account. Moreover, some of the payment wallets, such as Paytm, are also issuing the FASTag for the four-wheelers. You can also buy FASTag at toll plazas, where they have a Point of sale (POS), which will help in getting FASTag.
Here is the list of banks that are providing FASTag accounts:
List of Banks Providing FASTags Account
Serial No. | Bank Name | FASTag Helpline Number |
---|---|---|
1 | State Bank of India (SBI) | 1800 11 0018 |
2 | ICICI Bank | 1800 2100 104 |
3 | Axis Bank | 1800 419 8585 |
4 | HDFC Bank | 1800 120 1243 |
5 | Punjab National Bank (PNB) | 080-67295310 |
6 | Kotak Mahindra Bank | 1800 419 6606 |
7 | IDFC Bank | 1800 266 9970 |
8 | Bank of Baroda (BOB) | 1800 102 4455 |
9 | IndusInd Bank | 1860 500 5004 |
10 | Federal Bank | 1800 425 1199 |
11 | Canara Bank | 1800 103 3568 |
12 | Syndicate Bank | 1800 425 0585 |
13 | Karur Vysya Bank | 1860 200 1916 |
14 | South Indian Bank | 1800 425 1809 |
15 | City Union Bank | 044 |
A person can also buy the FASTag from the automobile company from where he is going to buy his four-wheeler, and they will install the FASTag on their new vehicles.
Documents Required for the Application of FASTag
Whenever you are going to buy a FASTag account, you will require some documents along with their photostat copy. Here is the list of the documents you will need when buying a FASTag for your vehicle:
- RC of the vehicle for which you are going to have FASTag.
- The user will also be required to submit a passport-size photograph of the vehicle owner.
- You will need a document for KYC, which is any one of these – driver’s license, adhar card, PAN card, Voter ID and Passport.
How FASTag Works?
Here are the steps where we will learn how a FASTag transaction works when it is initiated at a toll plaza through an RFID reader:
- A vehicle will pass through the FASTag lane, where the RFID device will capture FASTag details, which include the ID of the Tag, the Class of the vehicle and TID, which is sent to the bank for processing.
- The bank will further initiate a request to NETC Mapper, which will validate the tag details.
- After the Tag ID is validated by NETC, the mapper will send details, which are vehicle class, tag status and VRN. If the mapper is unable to locate Tag, it will return a response that a particular TAG ID is not registered.
- Thus, the bank will calculate the toll fare, and a debit request is initiated towards NETC.
- After that, the NETC will forward the request to the bank that has issued FASTag to debit from the user’s FASTag account.
- Now, the money will be deducted by the host, and the user will receive an SMS alert. The host will also send the message to NETC.
This is how FASTag will deduct the money from your account, and you can travel hassle-free.
FASTag Blacklisted
If you pass through any toll plaza and your FASTag wallet is out of money, your FASTag wallet is usually blacklisted for 48 hours if you use the FASTag lane for crossing the toll gate. Your FASTag account will only be reactivated with the intervention of the NHAI helpdesk if you are travelling. You can also call the NHAI customer helpline number, which is 1033, to reactivate your card.
Usually, when a person buys a FASTag, Rs 200 is added as a security deposit, which can be used during emergencies. If you have exhausted your main FASTag wallet account, the amount can be deducted from the security deposit. And again, when you recharge your wallet, firstly, money will get added as a security deposit, which you have used, and the rest of the amount will get deposited in your main FASTag wallet.
How to Use FASTag?
Now we are aware of FASTag, we will see how the FASTag works when a vehicle enters a toll plaza:
- First of all, when your vehicle enters the FASTag lane, the RFID reader on the lane will auto-detect your FASTag and deduct the amount from your FASTag wallet.
- You will get a confirmation receipt in your email and also an alert message on your phone linked with a tag.
- Once the money is deducted from your Tag, you will get a green signal, and you can successfully pass through the plaza without any hassle.
FASTag Common Problems
Everything has its pros and cons. The pros have already been explained, and now we will see what the difficulties are that one can face while using FASTag.
Sometimes, when you pass your vehicle through the FASTag lane, the RFID reader might not detect your vehicle’s FASTag. You might need to move your vehicle a little backwards and forward, and you must also ensure that FASTag is correctly placed on your vehicle so that it’s easily detectable.
If your FASTag is still not detected, then a man at the toll plaza will come with a handheld RFID reader to detect your Tag. There are some disadvantages of these handheld devices:
- They are faulty at some times.
- They need to be charged after 5-6 hours.
Some companies are deducting the FASTag charges if you are not using them in the name of the FASTag event. So don’t buy FASTag from such companies. As FASTag is a prepaid wallet, you don’t need to link your bank account with FASTag.
How to Apply Online for Federal Bank FasTag
StepsActions
1. Go to online Registration for Federal Bank FasTag
2. Submit an application for registration.
3. Upload the required documents
4. Make Payment through debit/credit card/net banking
5. Submit an application for registration.
How to recharge Federal FASTag instantly
Actions
1. Enter your Login ID or Mobile number.
2. Enter the captcha & click to generate OTP.
3. Top up by clicking on Recharge.
4. Select the option of Payment
5. Enter your Login ID or Mobile number.
6. Select the mode of Payment
7. Enter & click on Make Payment
Federal FASTag Helpline number
PNB Fastag Toll-Free0800 849 9229
Email usfblnetcsupport@federalbank.co.in
Federal Bank FASTag customer care
How to Recharge Federal Bank Fastag Through PhonePe App
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- Login to your PhonePe app on your Mobile
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- You will see the Recharge section at the top.
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- Select the Fastag Recharge option on 2nd number
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- You will see almost all Fastag operators in the list.
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- Select your ban operator from the list
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- Next, It will ask for your Vehicle number, so enter your vehicle number
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- Add your Fastga to your PhonePe account.
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- Enter the recharge amount and proceed with the Payment
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- Complete the Payment
How To Recharge Federal Bank Fastag Through Google Pay App
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- Open your Google Pay application.
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- From the bottom of your screen, swipe up to find the Fastag.
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- Click on FASTag Icon and then make Payment.
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- Choose the FASTag account that you want to send money to.
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- Enter the Recharge amount.
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- To confirm, tap the Tick mark.
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- Complete the Payment.