NEW DELHI, Feb 15: The Road and Transport Ministry has made Fastag compulsory for vehicle crossing toll plazas on National Highways.

The Government announced on Sunday that Fastag is compulsory from the midnight of February 15-16 and the motorists will have to pay double the toll charges as penalty for they are not having the tag.

"As per NH Fee Rules 2008, any vehicle not fitted with FASTag or vehicle without valid, functional FASTag entering into the FASTag lane of the fee plaza shall pay a fee equivalent to two times of the fee applicable to that category," a Ministry notification said.

Road and Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari had said earlier that the date for the adoption of Fastag will not be postponed any further.

The NHAI has asked concessionaires and toll plaza operators to direct motorists without a Fastag to purchase one on the spot. Fastag sale points have been set up at the plazas. Fastag is available online too. SBI charges Rs 400 of which Rs 100 is issuance fee, Rs 200 security deposit and the Rs 100 balance can be used for recharging. PayTM charges only Rs 100. One tag is valid for five years.

Fastags have been launched to make payments faster and prevent vehicle jam at toll plazas.

While passing a toll plaza, Fastag readers installed at the plazas will automatically deduct the toll. The Fastag is a sticker attached to the windshield of a vehicle and has a radio-frequency identification barcode that is linked to the registration details of the vehicle. It is valid for five years.