By Express News Service

BENGALURU: With electronic toll collection yet to gain popularity and the dedicated fast-track lane for FASTag users at toll booths being used by regular motorists, many motorists complain that they are stuck at queues because of traffic congestion near toll plazas on highways.

In 2014, Union minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari launched FASTag that allows for swifter passage through a dedicated lane without stopping at toll booths. FASTags are radio frequency identification tags.

“It’s unfair when dedicated lanes meant for FASTag users are used by other motorists who don’t have FASTags, particularly during peak hours. This defeats the purpose of the ambitious cashless facility,” said S Karthik, a commuter.

A senior NHAI official said they are taking steps to ensure that only motorists who have FASTags are allowed to use the dedicated lane. “At present, there are no provisions to impose fines on motorists who don’t have FASTags but use the dedicated lanes. We expect that awareness on FASTag will be increased in the next few years.”

Radhakrishna Holla from the Bangalore Tourist Taxi Owners’ Association said, “We regularly face peak hour traffic jam at Devanahalli and Electronic City tolls. The authorities should take necessary steps to reduce traffic.”Some say FASTag is not effective because of the lack of awareness among motorists.

RTI REPLY SPARKS DISCUSSION

An RTI reply that reveals exemption of toll charges if the waiting time at toll booths exceeds more than three minutes has picked up attention on social media for the past few weeks. In response to an RTI filed by a Ludhiana-based advocate Hariom Jindal, NHAI said that a toll operator can’t impose toll charges on motorists if the waiting time is more than three minutes. “If the waiting time exceeds 3 minutes, then there is a provision to pass the vehicle free of cost (sic)”, NHAI said in an RTI.

A senior NHAI official said all highway tolls are designed in such a way that vehicles pass through within three minutes. “I am unaware about exempting vehicles from paying tolls if it exceeds three minutes. There was no such clause in most agreements between NHAI and developers in terms of toll collection. But there is a provision to add more lanes at toll booths if the delay is more than three minutes.”