After long queues, glitches in software haunt FASTag

Despite technology use, delays continue at toll plazas

Glitches in software are adding to the problems of those who get FASTag, which promises commuters to zip past toll plazas on highways through automatic payments.  

A 2016 study by IIM, Calcutta said the country suffers losses of nearly
Rs 40,000 crore per year due to delays in transportation. The study also said the delays led to consumption of fuel worth Rs 90,000 crore.

The radio frequency technology-based FASTag was first launched in 2014 to put an end to delays but took off in the latter half of 2016 following a push by the Centre. However, problems galore when it comes to the implementation of the technology.

"Getting a FASTag is of little use as we are invariably stuck at the end of a long queue. People without FASTag ID enter the lane and block us though we should be able to cross the lane without stopping," said Eshwar Hiremath, who regularly commutes between Bengaluru and Hubballi.

National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) per se does not involve itself in FASTag payments. It has authorised several banks to handle them.

Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC), one of the first organisations to adopt the technology in largescale to streamline toll payments, has installed FASTag in all its 8,800 buses. However, the corporation is facing several issues with daily toll payments for 4,000 buses and, has written several letters to IDFC Bank, the service provider, to rectify them.

KSRTC Managing Director S R Umashankar described them as 'teething problems' which will be resolved eventually. "We do not incur any financial loss due to double billing and multiple entries as we make payments only after verification. The bank has assured us that the problems will be resolved at the earliest," he said. However, this is not the case with private operators and the public who deposit money with the banks or recharge specific e-wallets. People have been complaining about payment related issues on Twitter and Facebook.

"FASTag project needs proper monitoring to ensure refunds are made during billing errors. Besides, there is no wholesale packages providing discounts or free trips for commercial operators who have multiple vehicles crossing toll plazas hundreds of times," said Radhakrishna Holla, general secretary, Bengaluru Tourist Taxi Owners' Association.

A senior NHAI official said they will take up the issue with banks if they receive complaints from FASTag customers. "The software is not provided by the NHAI. Each bank is using its own software. They have to rectify the problems. We encourage people to write to us," he said.

South India Motor Transport Association general secretary G R Shanmugappa said toll plazas continue to have a negative impact on transport sector as well as the whole economy due to the wastage of time at booths.

Shanmugappa, who is also the chairman of All India Motor Transport Congress Toll Committee, said that during demonetisation, the government paid Rs 52 crore per day to toll concessionaires in lieu of stopping toll collection. "We have been urging them to remove toll plazas and collect Rs 15,600 crore annually instead. It seems the government is not in the mood to streamline the sector," he said.