FASTag mandatory for 4-wheelers sold after December 1

New Delhi: The government on Thursday made it mandatory for vehicle manufacturers to install FASTag, or a radio-frequency identification tag used to pay toll automatically on National Highways, on all four-wheelers sold from December 1 onwards.

"Categories M and N motor vehicles sold on and after December 1, 2017 shall be fitted with FASTag as may be specified by the Central government, from time to time, by the manufacturer of the vehicle or its authorised dealer as the case may be," said a notification issued by the Road Transport and Highways Ministry.

The notification added that if any vehicle is sold in the form of drive-away-chassis without windscreen, then FASTag should be fitted on the windscreen by the vehicle owner before the registration of the vehicle.

The National Highways Authority of India, had in September, operationalised one dedicated FASTag lane at all toll plazas on National Highways. It had launched two mobile applications for ease of obtaining FASTags as well. The FASTag is available both online and offline through banks and common service centres.

To enforce the new rules, the government has made the required amendment to the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989, the notification said.

As per the Rules, category M vehicles are those with at least four wheels used to carry passengers and their luggage while category N are the four-wheelers used for carriage of goods.