NHAI likely to extend deadline for 'One Vehicle, One FASTag' initiative till March-end
New Delhi, Feb 28: State-owned National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) is likely to extend 'One Vehicle, One FASTag' initiative compliance deadline to March-end, in view of the problems being faced by Paytm FASTag users, a senior official said.
NHAI had earlier proposed to implement 'One Vehicle, One FASTag' initiative from March 1.
"In view of the Patym crisis, the FASTAg users may be given more time to shift to one vehicle-one FASTag norm," the official told PTI on condition of anonymity.
To enhance the efficiency of the electronic toll collection system and provide seamless movement at toll plazas, the NHAI has taken the 'One Vehicle, One FASTag' initiative that aims to discourage the use of single FASTag for multiple vehicles or linking multiple FASTags to a particular vehicle.
Earlier this month, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) had advised customers as well as merchants of Paytm Payments Bank Ltd (PPBL) to shift their accounts to other banks by March 15.
The RBI also said withdrawal or utilisation of balances by PPBL customers from their accounts, including saving bank accounts, current accounts, prepaid instruments, FASTags, National Common Mobility Cards, will be permitted without any restrictions, up to their available balance even beyond March 15.
On FASTags, the RBI's FAQs said one can continue to use them to pay toll up to the available balance.
"However, no further funding or top-ups will be allowed in the FASTags issued by Paytm Payments Bank after March 15, 2024," it had said.
With a penetration rate of around 98 per cent and over 8 crore users, FASTag has revolutionised the electronic toll collection system in the country.
FASTag is an electronic toll collection system in India, operated by the NHAI. It employs Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology for making toll payments directly from the prepaid or savings account linked to it or directly toll owner.
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Nine dead as fire breaks out in residential building in east Delhi
New Delhi (PTI): A fire broke out in a residential building in east Delhi's Vivek Vihar early Sunday, leaving nine people belonging to two families dead, including a toddler, officials said.
The incident was reported around 3.48 am at a four-storey building in Vivek Vihar Phase-I, following which police, fire and disaster management teams rushed to the spot.
According to the police, the blaze engulfed flats on the second, third and fourth floors of the building, prompting a large-scale rescue operation.The cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained.
The Delhi Fire Service (DFS) said nine charred bodies were recovered from different floors.
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"One body was recovered from the first floor, five from the second floor and three from the staircase which was found locked," the DFS officer said.
Those found dead on the second floor have been identified as Arvind Jain (60), his wife Anita Jain (58), son Nishant Jain (35), daughter-in-law Anchal Jain (33) and grandchild Akash Jain.
On the third floor, three members of a family were found dead. They were identified as Nitin Jain (50), wife Shailey Jain (48) and son Samyak Jain (25).
On the first floor a woman identified as Shikha Jain (45) was found dead while her husband Naveen Jain (48) sustained injuries.
A senior police officer said, "Around 10 to 15 people were rescued from the premises during the firefighting operation. Two of them, who sustained minor injuries, were shifted to the Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital."
A total of 12 fire tenders were pressed into service to douse the flames, while teams from the Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA), traffic police and local police assisted in the rescue and evacuation efforts.
Police said the fire was brought under control after several hours. Efforts are underway to determine the cause of the fire, police said.
Further investigation and proceedings are underway.
