Bandhwari toll plaza sees relief with Fastag, but peak hour snarls continue

Gurugram, September 2

After a long wait, the Fastag facility has finally been introduced at the Bandhwari toll plaza, offering the much-needed relief to commuters. However, due to the lack of awareness and technical issues, traffic snarls during peak hours persist. According to toll plaza officials, it may take about a week for traffic to flow smoothly.

For a long time, commuters have been dealing with traffic jams at the Bandhwari toll plaza, particularly during peak hours when traffic is heaviest. In response, there has been a strong demand for the implementation of the Fastag system to help ease the congestion.

With the introduction of Fastag, traffic is now moving more smoothly as vehicles can pass through quickly. However, some issues still contribute to congestion. Many commuters are experiencing low balances in their Fastag accounts, while others are yet to install Fastag.

Toll plaza officials have stated that while the Fastag system is now operational, it will take time for the situation to normalise. Until all vehicles are equipped with Fastag, three lanes on both sides will remain reserved for cash transactions. Once over 90 per cent of vehicles have Fastag, only one lane on each side will be reserved for cash payments. To expedite the transition, the toll operating company has urged commuters to install Fastag on their vehicles.

“The problem of traffic congestion persists due to issues like low Fastag balances and a lack of knowledge among commuters about using Fastag. We expect traffic to improve in the coming week,” said Ashish Kumar Bhardwaj, Director of South Asian Tollways Pvt Ltd, the company that operates the toll plaza.

More than 50,000 vehicles pass through the Bandhwari toll plaza daily. Regular commuters are happy with the introduction of the Fastag facility.

“I work at the Delhi Airport and commute via Gurugram every day. There used to be significant traffic jams at the toll. The introduction of the Fastag facility has brought much relief,” said Sonu Kumar, a resident of Faridabad.