Unregistered vehicles causing traffic snarls
Shillong: The toll plaza at Umling along the Guwahati-Shillong road is witnessing huge traffic congestion since the new concept of FASTag was implemented in the plaza.
The particular toll plaza is witnessing huge rush and commuters remain stuck in queues even as police personnel have been deployed in the plaza to ensure smooth crossing. The Regional Manager of National Highway Authority of India, Alok Kumar said that they have now started to allow travellers to pass through FASTag lanes if they are willing to pay double.
He also informed that the NHAI wanted more land from the state government to construct more counters in the toll plaza but so far, the government has not been able to give the land to the NHAI.
It was also informed that as per Assam, many people who come to Shillong do not have FASTag stickers on their vehicles. However, commuters are starting to register for FASTag system in Assam, informed officials.
It was seen on Saturday that the initiative was in chaos as cash payers were also entering the same FASTag lane.
A toll plaza employee also expressed his helplessness over the situation.
The NHAI official said that the situation would get better once the system is streamlined even as he added that the state government has already approached the Union government for converting the road into six-lane for the National Games, 2022.
As far as Diengpassoh toll plaza is concerned, two additional counters are under construction. Government vehicles which are yet to be enlisted for FASTag will also have to pay double the regular fee at toll plazas, including those in Meghalaya.
The Centre introduced FASTag, an electronic payment of toll, to reduce vehicular traffic at the toll plazas. All vehicles travelling through toll plazas will have to mandatorily pay toll charges using FASTag. Vehicle user without FASTag entering into a FASTag lane at any national highway fee plaza has to pay a fee equivalent to two times the applicable fee for that specific category of vehicle. FASTag stickers are pasted on the windshield of four wheelers and heavy vehicles and the stickers allow them to zoom past toll plazas.
