Service providers to start sale of FASTags online

The Economic Times (ET) has reported that the government is in the process of appointing a service provider to sell National Highways Authority of India’s FASTags on the platforms of Flipkart, Amazon and Snapdeal. 

 

Amazon is already selling FASTag online. The ET report says that the FASTag will soon be made available on the other two ecommerce platforms as well.  FASTags are mandatory for toll payments on national highways from 1st December 2019. Several bank websites and Paytm are also selling FASTags. 

 

Tender bids will be opened to select the service provider, who will procure bank-neutral FASTags from authorised manufacturers and make those available for sale from January on the three online platforms. 

 

The service provider will also have to set up a system to resolve customer complaints or queries online. Only owners of cars, utility vehicles, vans and other light motor vehicles will be allowed to buy FASTags online. 

 

It has been specifically mentioned in the bid document that the service provider shall not sell FASTags “in bulk to any single customer or a group of customers.” The tag must be delivered within seven days of a customer placing the order. The provider will need to send a daily report on sale of FASTags to authorities. 

 

After purchasing the FASTag, one can link it to an existing bank account of one’s choice.

 

The government has shared that more than 70 lakh FASTags had been issued so far and the average daily issuance had grown to 35,000 in November from 8,000 in July.