Poor response to NHAI’s coupon drive

The coupons will be used in the state’s 42 toll plazas to tide over the small change crisis consequent of the central government’s demonetisation drive. NHAI printed coupons of the above denominations following toll plazas across the country facing problems in both receiving and returning small change for toll payment. 

This process was in addition to the FASTag, cash payment and payment through credit and debit cards. Officials in the Chennai NHAI office told DTNext that “as of now though concessionaires (those operating toll plazas) were informed of the availability of coupons, they are yet to come to the Chennai RO to take however much coupons  they need after paying for them.” 

Officials of a toll plaza in Madurai told this reporter that “the situation has eased somewhat as now more people are paying through credit and debit cards, due to which we feel that we may not have to resort to coupons.” 

While PM Narendra Modi’s demonetisation drive has forced many to use plastic, travellers still need to stop at plazas for payment. “Use of FASTag which allows non-stop travel when plaza sensors read the cards attached to vehicle windscreens has not yet caught on” officials said. Though all plazas have dedicated FASTag lane, it is mostly used by regular vehicles or it is blocked. 

Officials said that “ICICI and Axis banks are the sole distributors of FASTag cards should  create awareness and set up sales points in plazas if travellers are to purchase their needs immediately.” At present, the cards  are available only with  the banks offices at Ambattur which is quite far from the plazas.