dna impact: Now motorists not required to shell out deposit for contact-less monthly smart cards

Henceforth, motorists opting for contact-less monthly smart cards to pay toll at the five entry points of Mumbai will not have to shell out deposit amount.

This decision was taken by Mumbai Entry Points Limited (MEP), the agency operating toll plazas at the five entry points of Mumbai.

On Saturday (May 31), dna had reported how motorists who have opted for Radio Frequency Identification Device (RFID) system by paying Rs100 are now made to pay another Rs60 as deposit for smart cards.

After the report got published, Jayant Mhaiskar, managing director of MEP said, "We have decided not to take Rs60 as deposit for smart cards from any new motorists opting for it. It will be time consuming and difficult to find out which vehicle owner has purchased the electronic chip and who hasn't. Therefore, the blanket decision to waive off security deposit amount of Rs 60."

Similarly, those who have purchased an electronic chip to be pasted on the front windscreen, but are unable to use it because the RFID system has not taken off, can now return the chip to get a refund of Rs100.
Those motorists who have already paid Rs60 as one time refundable security deposit for contact-less smart cards will get the refund amount only when they surrender the card.

While MEP is operating RFID technology for toll payment at Bandra Worli Sea Link, it has been unable to execute RFID at the five entry points of Mumbai – Dahisar, Mulund West, Mumbai East, Airoli and Vashi due to space crunch. Once RFID system is launched, a minimum of two lanes will have to be reserved for vehicles with the electronic chips. Those vehicles without the tags will not be allowed to use RFID reserved lanes, thereby saving time over toll payment.