FASTag at every Agra-Lucknow e-way toll lane in two weeks

Agra: Within the next two weeks, all 14 lanes of the Agra-Lucknow expressway toll plaza will have FASTag readers to automatically collect toll tax, reducing wait time at toll gates. Currently, only four lanes — two up and two down — have the hassle-free toll service on the expressway.

The move comes after UPEIDA CEO and additional chief secretary Awanish Kumar Awasthi, representing the UP government, signed a MoU on Monday with National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and joined the latter’s FASTag campaign to digitise toll collection across the country.

UPEIDA finance advisor K K Gupta said, “UP has already digitised toll collection on Agra-Lucknow expressway, because of which, vehicles won’t have to stop at toll plazas and waste time, which will help them reach their destinations quicker.”

K P Singh, the Agra toll manager of the 302km-long expressway, said, “Currently, four lanes out of 14 are providing FASTag service at the Agra toll plaza, but within 10-12 days, we expect to commission FASTag service on all lanes. This will not only help commuters to drive through the toll gates without halting, but will also reduce our burden.”

FASTag will be used on upcoming expressways such as Purvanchal, Bundelkhand and Gorakhpur-Azamgarh Link Way in UP. Yamuna Expressway, operated and regulated by private concessionaire Jaypee InfraTech, also provides FASTag service on their three toll plazas in Agra, Mathura and Jewar.