News Analysis |
All commercial vehicles without M-tag will be prohibited from entering the motorway starting March 31st, 2018. Previously, E-tag facility was used for toll tax and utility bills’ payments; however, the system has now been replaced with M-tag by the Frontier Works Organization.
Here’s a quick guide to how it will work:
Along the same lines as E-Tag, M-tag will work on the same principles. Vehicle owners will be given a pre-paid Radio-frequency identification (RFID) chip that will be read by the scanners installed at booths on the motorway. The scanners will read the chips on the vehicles upon entering and will deduct the due toll tax upon leaving automatically.
The system will be deployed at Lahore-Islamabad motorway Interchanges. In later stages, it will expand to all motorways in Pakistan as part of the CPEC 1-link motorways project. Vehicles entering the motorway without M-tag will be fined Rs 300 after the deadline of 31st March.
The scanner will also record the point of entry along with the remaining balance in the RFID-chip. Vehicle owners will be able to recharge the accounts through FWO’s app and website and JazzCash as well. Apart from that, the account can be recharged through Rs 200, Rs 500, Rs 1000, Rs 2000 and Rs 3000 scratch cards as well. Earlier this month, JazzCash, Jazz’s online payment facility entered into an agreement with the Frontier Works Organization (FWO) for digitizing the M-Tag facility. With this new partnership, users will now be able to pay their toll fees on the motorway through JazzCash.
Read more: FWO providing relief to travellers stranded on Motorway
As a result of this partnership, customers will not only be able to top up their M-Tag accounts through FWO’s mobile app ‘Smart Motorways’ and their official website, but also through their JazzCash mobile accounts and through the extensive JazzCash retailer network nationwide. There are plans for integrating the JazzCash Payment gateway in the official app and the website as well.
Previously, dedicated lanes were established at toll booths for vehicles with E-tag. The lanes opened for those cars only that had E-tag sticker on them. NADRA managed the E-tag system that contained vehicles details, linked with the owners’ details at the database level.
Along the same lines as E-Tag, M-tag will work on the same principles. Vehicle owners will be given a pre-paid Radio-frequency identification (RFID) chip that will be read by the scanners installed at booths on the motorway.
The technology, as mentioned earlier, has now been replaced with M-tag facility and FWO Smart Motorways is managing it. FWO says that for now, it is only compulsory for commercial vehicles to get registered for an M-tag. The facility will be rolled out for privately owned vehicles in later stages of the project.
Read more: Universal accountability: NAB probes into motorway project corruption
The Registration Procedure
M-tag registration for private vehicles will be free until March 31. Rs 300 of free balance will be given as well to the vehicles registered before this date as a starting reward. A free recharge of Rs 500 will also be provided after every 5000 kilometers of travel. Dedicated registration desks and customer care centers have been set up at several toll plaza booths where you can get the M-tag.
A minimum fee of Rs 300 is required to get the tag; however, the whole amount is deposited as credit in vehicle owner’s M-tag account. The vehicle owner must an original possess CNIC, driving license and valid vehicle registration documents at the time of registration.
Initially, the system will be deployed at Lahore-Islamabad motorway Interchanges. In later stages, it will expand to all motorways in Pakistan as part of the CPEC 1-link motorways project. Vehicles entering the motorway without M-tag will be fined Rs 300 after the deadline of 31st March.