Kerala’s three NH booths ready to implement FASTag in full swing

KOCHI: STATE’S all four toll booths, except the one at Paliyekkara in Thrissur, are ready for electronic fee collection as the central government’s decision to collect fees at plazas on all national highways across the country through FASTag comes into effect from Wednesday.

The Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has asked to keep one lane on all toll booths free for vehicles that do not have FASTags.Those lanes will be hybrid — where both cash and FASTag are accepted. The earlier decision was to make all lanes FASTag-enabled.

An NHAI official told TNIE that the toll booths at Pampampallam near Walayar, Ponnarimangalam and Kumbalam, both Ernakulam, were made ready by Tuesday evening. Paliyekkara is not yet fully ready. “Right now, three each from either side of the toll booth, are electronic toll collection lanes. We’ll convert other lanes soon,” said the official.