No FASTag, no return journey discount on toll
Ravinder Saini and Nitish Sharma
Tribune News Service
Jhajjar/Karnal, January 16
The latest guideline of the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) withdrawing toll discount on return journey in case of cash payment has resulted in long queues on toll plazas in Jhajjar district.
Commuters are arguing with toll collectors for charging single journey toll in cash lane. Toll officials are putting in extra efforts to deal with the situation.
The NHAI has decided that discount for motorists making return journey within 24 hours will be provided if toll has been paid via FASTag. No return journey discount is being provided in case of cash or any other mode of payment after January 15.
“More than 80 per cent road users are arguing with toll collectors for single journey toll in cash lane. They want discount on return journey like it was before January 15. A majority of them are local residents. Some of them do not know latest guidelines while many other deliberately resist in a bid to get return journey discount,” said Nitesh Malik, manager at Dighal toll plaza.
He said they had deputed extra employees at the cash booth to prevent scuffles and ensure smooth flow of traffic in the cash lane. Around 50 per cent users had so far adopted the FASTag system, he added.
Motorist Sandeep said it was taking double the normal time to cross the toll barrier while using the cash lane as every second road user was wasting time arguing with the toll collector. The situation was adversely affecting those on single journey, he pointed out.
Nearly 45 per cent commuters crossing the Bastara toll plaza in Karnal district on Thursday had no FASTag. Queues were witnessed in non-FASTag lanes.
The NHAI allowed the concessionnaire to operate with 25 per cent non-FASTag lanes. The relaxation would be in effect till February 15. Motorists seeking FASTags complained of poor connectivity.
Between 40,000 and 45,000 vehicles passed this toll plaza daily with only 55 per cent commuters using FASTags. “Toll plazas are for harassment of commuters. The government has already taken road tax. Why are we being forced to pay again?” said JP Singh, a commuter.
“Since I rarely travel on national highways, I do not want a FASTag. I crossed the toll plaza in Ambala smoothly, but long queues were witnessed here. I had to wait for more than half an hour to cross this plaza,” said a commuter on way to Faridabad.
“Around 45 per cent commuters do not have FASTags and many of them try to enter lanes reserved for FASTags. It gets difficult fo security staff to handle traffic. We have received guidelines and will be able to operate with 25 per cent non-FASTag lanes,” said Manish Kumar, toll manager.
“People are arguing for discount on return journey within 24 hours. As per new guidelines, only those paying via FASTag can be given discount. We can operate with six lanes without FASTags. The number of lanes operating without FASTags will fluctuate according to volume of traffic,” he said.
