Starting from April 1st no vehicles can enter the Motorway without having an M-Tag for their vehicle. M-Tag is now replacing the old E-Tag facility which was used for toll taxes. This step is being taken The Frontier Works Organization (FWO) in an effort to digitize the motorway system. People can recharge their M-Tag accounts through various channels such as Jazz Cash or even FWO’s “Smart Technology” mobile app or even their website.
M-Tag made compulsory to enter Motorway
For those of you who don’t know what M-Tag is, it is a newer version for the E-Tag but more efficient. Vehicles will be given a Radio-frequency Identification (RFID) chip that is prepaid. The toll plaza’s will now be equipped with scanners that will be able to scan and read the chip as the vehicle passes through and automatically detect the balance on the chip and deduct the toll tax accordingly. They will also record your point of entry and exit. Vehicle owners can recharge their M-Tag through various means like Jazz Cash, FWO’s “Smart Motorway” mobile app and FWO’s website. Scratch cards will also be available of Rs. 200, Rs. 500, Rs. 1000, Rs. 2000 and Rs. 3000.
How to register for M-Tag?
Private vehicles were given until 31st March to register for the M-Tag for free and they were also being offered free 300 balance if registration was done before the date. Now M-Tag is available for Rs. 300 but all the amount will be deposited into the account. Rewards are also being offered such as Rs. 500 balance for every 5000 km traveled.
In order to register for the M-Tag vehicle owners have to to take the following items to the registration office:
- CNIC (Orginal)
- CNIC (Copy)
- Driving License
- Vehicle’s Registration Book
Currently the M-Tag system has been initiated at the Lahore-Islamabad M2 Motorway and will be implemented throughout all of the Motorway system across Pakistan as part of the 1 Link Motorway Project of CPEC. Currently the fine is set to Rs. 300 for vehicles that enter the Motorway without the M-Tag.
Toll tax for different vehicles for Lahore – Islamabad M2 Motorway is as follows:
- For Cars/Jeeps/Taxis: Rs. 620.
- For Wagons: Rs. 1,040.
- For Coasters: Rs. 1,460.
- For Buses: Rs. 2,080.
- For Trucks 2&3 Axle: Rs. 2,700.
For Articulated Trucks: Rs. 3,480.
