NHAI admits flaw in system, corrective measures yet to be taken
Ajay Raina
JAMMU, Sept 13: The commuters having valid FASTags are being charged excess amount at Ban and Sarore Toll Plazas while completing the return journey within 24 hours and the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) has failed to find out permanent solution to the problem despite getting numerous complaints in this regard.
As per the practice in vogue, a commuter is supposed to pay full toll for one side and less for return journey within 24 hours but EXCELSIOR has received numerous complaints that even on return journey within 24 hours the full toll again gets deducted from the FASTag.
For example, a commuter is supposed to pay Rs 140 at Ban Toll Plaza for one side journey and if he returns within 24 hours the commuter is required to pay less than Rs 140. But, the system which read FASTag at Ban Toll Plaza deducts Rs 140 even on return journey much to the disappointment of the vehicle operators.
Similarly, excess amount gets deducted from the FASTag at Sarore Toll Plaza even for return journey within 24 hours. The commuters come to know about deduction of same amount from the FASTag through SMS that too after covering several kilometers distance from the Toll Plazas as such they find it difficult to lodge formal complaints with those deployed at the Toll Plazas.
“Only 50 per cent toll must be collected for the return journey on the same day”, a number of people daily commuting between Jammu-Katra and Jammu-Udhampur told the EXCELSIOR, adding “whenever the people brings this notice to those managing the affairs of Toll Plazas, they put the blame on technical glitch but the fact is that people are being charged excess amount for no fault of theirs”.
It is pertinent to mention here that FASTag was made mandatory from December 15, 2019 onwards and based on the concessional agreement for the Plaza concerned, the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) notified collection of subsidized toll fee which, in most cases, is half the regular fee, provided the return journey is completed within 24 hours.
Demanding that National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) must ensure fool-proof system at Toll Plazas so that excess amount is not deducted from the FASTags for return journey within 24 hours, the commuters said, “even those deployed at the Toll Plazas for collection of toll don’t extend cooperation whenever any grievance relating to toll is brought to their notice and they simply tell—-talk to our seniors…we don’t have enough time to hold discussion”.
When contacted, Project Director NHAI Ajay Rajak admitted that he has received several complaints about excess deduction of toll and said, “whenever any such incident comes to our notice we advise the people to contact FASTag Helpline Number 1033 and get the excess amount refunded”, adding “we have also taken up the issue with the banks with which there is a tie-up for FASTag”.
“The FASTag deduction is a centralised system and there is also a redressal system if double toll has been deducted,” he further said, adding “we are trying to ensure that double or excess deduction problem is resolved as early as possible”.
However, a number of people said that they contacted the Helpline Number after excess deduction from the FASTag and were assured that the extra money would be credited to their wallet but this exercise also suffers from delays.
Follow our WhatsApp channel
