Aim To Expand FASTag Ecosystem With Fintechs: Nitin Gadkari
New Delhi: The FASTag ecosystem has immense potential, not just for tolling, but as a foundation for seamless digital travel experiences across the country, said Nitin Gadkari, Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways.
According to the minister, through collaboration with fintechs and other stakeholders, 'we aim to expand the utility of FASTag into a robust platform that will enhance user convenience, streamlines transport & mobility services, and bring greater efficiency to the sector'.
With 98.5 per cent toll payments, the National Electronic Toll Collection (NETC) FASTag programme operates across 1,728 toll plazas (1,113 National Highways, 615 State Highways). Over 38 banks have issued 11.04 crore FASTags, supporting digital payments.
The government last week announced the launch of a FASTag-based annual pass priced at Rs 3,000 for cars, with effect from August 15 this year, in 'a transformative step towards hassle-free highway travel.'
To explore innovative applications of the FASTag system, a workshop with Fintech companies was organised in the national capital by Indian Highways and Management Company Limited (IHMCL), a company promoted by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI).
The objective of the workshop was to gather insights from leading fintech players on various aspects such as regulatory compliance, grievance redressal, security, and non-toll applications of FASTag to support its next phase of growth.
'The presentations and discussions held at this workshop will pave the way for a digitally empowered National Highway network that will benefit every commuter in the country,' said Gadkari.
V. Umashankar, Secretary, Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, said, 'Fintech has been a bright spot for India and has given us many path-breaking innovations, whereas FASTag has transformed Electronic Toll Collection in the country.
'The essence of this workshop is to look at the toll collection mechanisms and how to make it cashless, convenient, time-efficient, fraud-free, and error-free tolling in a collaborative manner. We envision fintech as provider of innovation and government will be the facilitator to create an end product that will provide a better experience to the road user,' he emphasised.
According to Santosh Kumer Yadav, Chairman, NHAI, the workshop will pave way for future innovations that will help us to enhance the scope and utility of FASTag system beyond toll collections.
'This is a great opportunity to create future solutions that will cater to varied needs of the National Highway users,' he noted.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
44 minutes ago
- Time of India
India to become net exporter of energy in six-seven years: Nitin Gadkari
Union minister Nitin Gadkari on Thursday said that India will become the net exporter of energy in next six to seven years. Speaking at Times Event here, the minister of Road Transport and Highways, said: "Today we are the importer of the energy but within six to seven years we will be exporter of the energy." Stressing that hydrogen is the fuel of the future, he said the government is encouraging alternative fuel and biofuel such as ethanol, biodiesel, electric vehicles, and hydrogen. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Esse novo alarme com câmera é quase gratuito em São Paulo (consulte o preço) Alarmes Changing fuel will not only reduce pollution but will also bring down logistic cost, he said and added that by making new roads and change in fuel our logistic cost will be in single digit and come down to nine per cent by the end of the current year. "I am confident that by making new roads and change in fuel our logistic cost will be in single digit, that is nine per cent and by the end of this year," he said. Live Events The latest survey, the minister said, indicates that India's logistic cost has reduced by six per cent. "Today in the world the logistic cost in China is eight per cent as compared with the GDP, in the US and European countries it is 12 per cent and in India it was 16 per cent but now the things are moving fast," Gadkari said. The minister also made an appeal to go for alternative fuel or bio fuel and it is economically viable. "India is the fastest growing economy. We need to increase our export and for that reason we need to reduce our logistic cost," Gadkari said.
Mint
an hour ago
- Mint
Nitin Gadkari clears the air on reports of govt planning to impose toll tax on two-wheelers - ‘Spreading misleading...'
No, the Centre has no plans to impose a toll tax on two-wheelers, clarified Union Minister Nitin Gadkari and the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) on Thursday. This comes after some media reports reported that the government was planning to levy user fees on two-wheelers. In a strong-worded tweet in Hindi, Gadkari condemned media houses for 'spreading misleading news' without verifying facts and said it is 'not a sign of healthy journalism'. 'The exemption on toll for two-wheeler vehicles will continue fully,' he said. 'Some media houses are spreading misleading news about imposing toll tax on two-wheeler vehicles. No such decision has been proposed,' Gakdari's tweet read. 'Spreading misleading news without verifying the truth to create a sensation is not a sign of healthy journalism. I condemn this,' it added. In a fact-check post, the NHAI also said that it was fake news and no such proposal was under consideration. 'Some sections of the media have reported that the Government of India plans to levy user fees on two-wheelers. NHAI would like to clarify that no such proposal is under consideration. There are no plans to introduce toll charges for two-wheelers,' NHAI said in a tweet, alongside the hashtag fake news. Meanwhile, the government is set to introduce a FASTag-based Annual Pass, which will provide a 'big relief' to commuters as it will reduce the financial burden and ease travel with no need to stop at toll plazas. The annual pass scheme that will allow commuters to cross 200 toll plazas on National Highways for just ₹ 3,000 annually--down from the earlier average of ₹ 10,000. The scheme will come into effect from August 15.
NDTV
an hour ago
- NDTV
No Toll Tax Proposed For 2-Wheelers: Nitin Gadkari Amid Reports
New Delhi: Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari, on Thursday dismissed media reports suggesting that two-wheelers will be required to pay tolls on National Highways from July 15. He called the reports misleading and clarified that no such proposal is under consideration. Taking to social media platform X, the Union Minister said: "Some media houses are spreading misleading news about toll tax being levied on two-wheelers. No such decision has been proposed." 📢 महत्वपूर्ण कुछ मीडिया हाऊसेस द्वारा दो-पहिया (Two wheeler) वाहनों पर टोल टैक्स लगाए जाने की भ्रामक खबरें फैलाई जा रही है। ऐसा कोई निर्णय प्रस्तावित नहीं हैं। दो-पहिया वाहन के टोल पर पूरी तरह से छूट जारी रहेगी। बिना सच्चाई जाने भ्रामक खबरें फैलाकर सनसनी निर्माण करना स्वस्थ… — Nitin Gadkari (@nitin_gadkari) June 26, 2025 "Two-wheelers will continue to be exempt from tolls. Spreading such baseless news without verifying the facts is not responsible journalism. I strongly condemn it," the Union Minister stated. The clarification comes after a report claimed that toll payment would soon be made mandatory for two-wheelers at all national highway toll plazas, and that riders would need to equip their vehicles with FASTag. The report also claimed that violators could face penalties of up to Rs 2,000. This comes just days after Gadkari announced a new annual FASTag pass worth Rs 3,000 for private four-wheelers, aimed at simplifying toll payments and reducing congestion. Set to launch on August 15, the pass will be valid for one year or 200 trips -- whichever comes first -- and can be activated via the Rajmarg Yatra app or official websites of the NHAI and the MoRTH. The government has significantly expanded its highway infrastructure in the last decade, with the total length of national highways increasing from 91,287 km in 2014 to 1,46,204 km in 2024 -- a rise of over 60 per cent. The pace of highway construction has also tripled from 11.6 km/day in 2014 to 34 km/day in 2024. As of now, 1,366 highway projects covering 32,366 km are under construction across the country, many of which are expected to be completed in phases by FY 2028. With a 570 per cent increase in the road transport and highways budget over the last decade, the Centre continues to prioritise infrastructure development -- but for now, two-wheeler riders can rest assured that tolls are not on the horizon.
