National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) on Tuesday said it will introduce an interoperable system so that FASTag can be used to pay parking fees at malls, airports, and other private parking lots across key metros – Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, and Bengaluru.
Such payments will be contactless, which assumes significance given the highly contagious nature of the novel coronavirus.
Currently, while parking lots across the country are being enabled with digital payment solutions, some are semi-automated but not 100% contactless.
FASTag, an electronic toll connection device fixed on the windshield of a vehicle, enables drivers to zip through toll plazas without having to stop. Equipped with radio frequency identification technology (RFID), the device is used to collect toll charges directly from the prepaid wallet or bank account linked to it.
The GMR Hyderabad International Airport already has this facility.
“NPCI has also initiated discussions with major malls, airports and other private parking lots in Chennai and Bangalore for the NETC (National Electronic Toll Collection) FASTag powered contactless car parking solutions. The company has been receiving interests from major banks in spearheading the parking projects,” according to a statement.
The NETC FASTag solution will work both as post-paid and pre-paid solutions for securing parking at a parking plaza. There will be no additional cost to customers with respect to the parking fee, other than the one-time purchase cost of the tag. There will also be dedicated FASTag lanes.
“We are aiming at taking this unique contactless parking proposition in metro cities keeping in mind the convenience of passengers and visitors. In this new normal during the COVID-19 pandemic situation 100% contactless payment solution is going to be the need of the hour,” Praveena Rai, COO, NPCI said.
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