RFID tags mandatory for commercial vehicles after three weeks: SDMC

New Delhi: South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) on Friday announced that only those commercial vehicles which have radio-frequency identification tags (RFID) will be allowed to enter the national Capital after three weeks as the RFID system comes into force at 13 busy border points from Friday midnight. The Corporation said that those vehicles which do not have RFID will have to pay penalties from Friday midnight. And after three weeks, those without RFID will not be allowed to enter the city. The 13 entry points receive 85 percent of the incoming traffic in the city.

Once a person buys an RFID tag and it is pasted on his registered vehicle, the environment compensation charge will be deducted at the 13 toll plazas automatically.

"After the Friday midnight deadline, non-RFID vehicles will have to pay twice the basic amount of environment compensation charge in the first week. It will become four times in the second week and six times in the third, said Randhir Sahay," additional commissioner, SDMC.

"After three weeks, the entry of non-RFID commercial vehicle will be completely on the basis of RFID tags," he added.

The sale of tags will continue on the points of sale installed at 13 RFID toll plazas. Additional six points have been set up in satellite towns of Uttar Pradesh and Haryana. Posters and banners have been put up and public announcements are being made at several locations to inform the vehicle owners, officials said. Till Friday afternoon, 1.6 lakh RFID tags have been sold.

The RFID system will help smoothen the traffic movement and bring down pollution levels, the officials said. "Currently, it takes 15-20 seconds for a vehicles to cross a toll plaza. With the RFID infrastructure in place, it will take only 4-5 seconds," said Aakash Sinha of Tecsidel India Pvt Limited, e private company carrying out the RFID installation work.