Electronic Toll Collection launched on Chennai-Bengaluru corridor of Golden Quadrilateral

CHENNAI: After implementing Electronic Toll Collection (ETC) on Delhi-Mumbai corridor of the Golden Quadrilateral (GQ), the system was today launched on the Chennai-Bengaluru corridor, aiming to help road-users save time and money.

The Centre had introduced ETC for payment of user fee on National Highways through inter-operable system with the help of 'FASTag', a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) enabled pre-paid tag fixed on vehicles' windscreen.

"The Tag works like a pre-paid toll account and facilitates automatic deduction of toll amount when the vehicles cross the Toll Plazas," an official release here said.

The initiative was launched at Sriperumbudur here on the Chennai-Bengaluru GQ, covering toll plazas on NH 4, NH 7 and NH 46.

"Toll plazas of Bengaluru-Mumbai section will be added soon for seamless passage between Chennai and Mumbai," it said. The 'advantages' of using the 'FASTag' include no waiting at toll plazas, ensuring seamless movement through dedicated toll lane and no need to pay in cash, it said.

"Recharge of 'FASTag' is facilitated through Banks and Points of Sale (POS) established at strategic locations, including all toll plazas," it said.

As 'FASTag' is based on RFID, tracking of vehicle was possible as the registered mobile number gets SMS each time when it crosses toll plaza using 'FASTag', it added.

ICICI Bank and Axis Bank have been 'engaged' by the government for setting up and operation of Central Clearing House (CCH) to debit applicable user fee from the pre-paid account of the registered ETC users.

The banks will also sell and 'top-up' 'FASTag' through POS stations at the toll plazas and their designated banks near them, the release said, adding, the RFID tags could be availed by submitting KYC (Know Your Customer) documents and paying one time nominal activation fee at these POS stations.