No matter whether the condition of the road is flawless or marked with potholes and broken, once it is bestowed upon the authority to collect toll, you are vexed for life. When you pay cash, you promptly get a receipt, whereas, if you have a Fastag account, the same receipt comes to you via an SMS. However, this text is hardly prompt. It may take anywhere between a few minutes to hours before you know how much money has gotten deducted from your account. Naturally, if there is a discrepancy, all you are left with is calling Customer Care.
Now, the government has issued an order wherein it is compulsory to have a Fastag account when plying on highways. Various banks are authorized to tender a Fastag, however, their charges vary. You also have to bear a “security deposit” and maintain a minimum balance otherwise you are “blacklisted".
1. Point is, those who are happy getting a Fastag, let them; why impose it on everyone?
2. Our government is highly incompetent in giving us good roads, but they do have the nerve to impose a toll over worthless roads;
3. The “security deposit" is a scam. No one would terminate their Fastag as people traveling by cars aren’t going to opt for public transport or get a bicycle. Then why the “security deposit “?
4. Contractors who carry substandard jobs get “blacklisted”. Why should that same word be used in case you have insufficient balance in your Fastag account? It is not just an insult but way beyond that;
5. If the government has authorized certain banks to tender Fastags, why aren’t their charges universal?
6. Furthermore, if your travels are infrequent, why would you unnecessarily burden yourself with a Fastag?
To repeat point #1, we are not against Fastag per se, but the mandatory implementation of it. If the ministry is really concerned about saving time and fuel costs, it should mandate the work of the contractors and the timely maintenance that should be carried out.
We appeal that the mandatory implementation of Fastag be revoked and urge that the authorities work on giving us better roads rather.