Ministry of Road Trasport & Highways (MoRTH) on Saturday said that a valid FASTag is mandatory while getting a new third party insurance through an amendment in Form 51 (Certificate of Insurance), wherein the details of FASTag ID shall be captured and this will be applicable from April 1.

The FASTag had been made mandatory for all registration of new four wheeled vehicles since December 2017 as per Central Motor Vehicles Rules (CMVR), 1989, and is being supplied by the vehicle manufacturer or their dealers.

It had further been mandated that the renewal of fitness certificate will be done only after the fitment of FASTag for the transport vehicles. Further, for National Permit vehicles the fitment of FASTag has been mandated since October last year.

"It may be stated that this notification would be a major step for ensuring that the payment of fees be 100 per cent at Toll Plazas through the electronic means only and that the vehicles can pass seamlessly through the Fee Plazas. There would be no waiting time at the Plazas and would save fuel," MoRTH said in a statement.

It has also issued a notification making FASTag mandatory to be available by January 1, in old vehicles also -- the M and N category of motor vehicles (four wheelers) -- sold before December 1, 2017 through amendments in CMVR, 1989.

The steps for ensuring the availablity of FASTag at multiple channels are being made through physical locations and also through online mechanism so that the citizens are able to have them affixed at their vehicles within the next two months at their convenience, it added.