FASTags can now be purchased directly from e-commerce platform Amazon, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways said. FASTags, originally introduced in 2014, are prepaid RFID tags which can be used to pay for tolls on highways without stopping at the plaza. These have been accepted across India's entire highway network since 2017. For now, the e-tags will be available for cars, jeeps and vans, and are being provided as a “DIY (do it yourself) concept”: No bank is pre-assigned to the FASTag at the time of purchase, and users can buy them, and can customise payments via an Android app. Currently, the bank linking facility is available for 7 member banks: SBI, ICICI Bank, Axis bank, HDFC bank, IndusInd Bank, Paytm Payments bank and Equitas Small Finance Bank. FASTags are also being issued by 22 certified banks at places like National Highways toll plazas and selected bank branches. However, these FASTags do not offer customers the option for linking with a bank account of his/her choice. "The online availability of NHAI FASTag by IHMCL will eventually help enhanced adoption of FASTag programme by increasing user convenience and offering seamless digital payments of toll and thereby saving time, money and fuel," the statement said. 46 lakh FASTags have accounted for 25% of toll revenue so far The decision of selling FASTags on Amazon comes in the backdrop of an announcement made by NHAI in April, that FASTags accounted for around a quarter of the total collection done at toll booths since 2016, after the…
