Congress to challenge FASTag notification if Goa not exempted: State Congress President

Goa Pradesh Congres Committee President Girish Chodankar while addressing a press conference on Thursday asserted that his party would challenge the notification of the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways issued to make Fastag mandatory to all vehicles, calling it another idea to loot people. 

Pointing out that Toll plazas don't exist in Goa and making the FASTag mandatory will only impose an additional burden on the Goans, he said, "It is the duty of the state government now to bring amendments to exempt Goa from this notification. "

"If the state government fails to convince the central government to exempt Goa from this notification then we will be forced to approach the High Court to seek justice," he added while maintaining that the government should give people a chance to choose instead of outrightly imposing it on them. 

According to Chodankar, the move to make FASTags mandatory for all vehicles, irrespective of the fact that the vehicle passes through toll gates or not is mischievous and just another way gain wrongfully from the people. Reasoning further, he said, "There are no toll plazas in Goa and a majority of the vehicles in the state do not visit other states."

"We will not keep quiet, but will fight against this notification,"  he added. 

FASTag made mandatory by Centre

The Central government on February 14, informed that it has made FASTags mandatory and  any vehicle not fitted with it will be charged double the toll at electronic toll plazas across the country. The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways in a statement said it has decided that all lanes in the fee plazas on National Highways shall be declared as 'FASTag lane of the fee plaza'.

"As per NH Fee Rules 2008, any vehicle not fitted with FASTag or vehicle without valid, functional FASTag entering into the FASTag lane of the fee plaza shall pay a fee equivalent to two times of the fee applicable to that category," the statement said. The ministry has clarified that this has been done to further promote fee payment through digital mode, reduce waiting time and fuel consumption, and provide for a seamless passage through the fee plazas.

The ministry had mandated the fitment of FASTag in M&N categories of motor vehicles. Category 'M' stands for a motor vehicle with at least four wheels used for carrying passengers. And Category 'N' stands for a motor vehicle with at least four wheels used for carrying goods, which may also carry persons in addition to goods.

(Inputs from ANI)