TIRUPATI: The Alipiri toll plaza, built and managed by Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams' (TTD), is becoming the first non-NHAI toll plaza that will have the cashless, electronic FASTag system.
The temple body has initiated the trial run for the FASTag project. This is likely to give a major fillip to digital payments and bring in transparency. TTD officials are closely monitoring the implementation of this system at the state-of-the-art toll plaza in Alipiri, to rectify snags, if any. FASTag is a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology-based system to collect payments at toll gates through the prepaid mode. The Union Government has made it mandatory for all four-wheelers to have FASTag. The toll plazas on national highways, thus, have cashless transactions.
“Trial run is under way in the VIP lane through which more than 300 vehicles pass a day. Technical issues are being addressed. The system will be implemented in other lanes in a phased manner. All lanes, except two, will completely go the FASTag way soon,” a temple official said.
The system will ensure seamless movement of traffic and collection of user fee is as per the rates notified by the state government. It helps motorists save time at the toll booths. However, security check is mandatory for every individual. TTD Vigilance and Security wing in coordination with the AP SPF and private security guards will frisk every individual and carefully check every passing vehicle. TTD operates two ghat roads (up & down) leading to or exiting Tirumala, which together stretch 36km.
The temple body collects toll fees along the twin ghat roads. Around 10,000 four-wheelers pass through it a day, which touches 12,000 on weekends and festival days, generating a revenue of Rs 2.5 lakh on normal days and Rs 3.5 lakh on peak days.
