Tatsat Chronicle Magazine

NHAI Enables FASTag-Enables Payment System For Entry Into Forest Area

April 17, 2023
FASTag
Forced usage: FASTags have become mandatory for payment of highway toll. People who don’t use these are levied heavy fines, which is almost double the toll fee ( Photo: WIKI COMMONS )

To facilitate smoother entry process for vehicles entering into the forest area, Indian Highways Management Company Limited (IHMCL) a company incorporated by NHAI to carry out electronic tolling, inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Nagarjunasagar-Srisailam Tiger Reserve spread across the states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.

The initiative aims to provide FASTag-based payment system at forest entry points and will extend the benefit of collection of Ecosystem Management Coordination (EMC) fee via FASTag at various entrance points of the Tiger reserve.

The FASTag system employs Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology to enable automatic toll payments at toll plazas and affixation of FASTag on all 4-wheelers & above vehicles have been mandated across India. By enabling FASTag – based payments at forest entry points, visitors can avoid long queues and delays, allowing them to savor the natural beauty and wildlife of these areas without any hassles.

This partnership between IHMCL and the Forest Department is a significant step towards promoting sustainable tourism and preserving natural resources by curbing vehicular emissions at the forest entry points.