In order to resolve the problems being faced by the owners of commercial vehicle, the South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) on Monday launched a website for pre-registration of commercial vehicles for radio frequency identity (RFID) tags.  With this, commercial vehicle owners can upload copies of the documents required for pre-registration directly on the website and select the nearest toll plaza and time to collect RFID tags.

SDMC Additional Commissioner Randhir Sahay said, "We had asked commercial vehicle owners to send their documents via email and gave them immunity from penalty for seven days, till they receive RFID tags to make the pre-registration process smooth. People can also go to any of the 13 toll plazas, submit their documents and procure tags, he said.

"Many people have been e-mailing wrong documents to us for pre-registration of vehicles. Also, we have been witnessing long queues at the toll plazas," Sahay said during the launch of the website — ecctagsdmc.Com.

Only the documents needed for pre-registration of vehicles — photograph of the vehicle, registration certificate, driving license, insurance papers and others -- can be uploaded on the website. It will eliminate confusion, the SDMC additional commissioner said.  The website can also be used for recharging RFID tag wallets.

The Environment Pollution Control Authority (EPCA) welcomed the apex court's direction on using RFID tags for parking management in Delhi, saying that it will explore if tags for commercial vehicles can be used in private ones or a new system will be needed.  EPCA chairman Bhure Lal said the new system allows automatic collection of MCD tax and environment compensation charge from commercial vehicles. It is aimed at reducing pollution by easing traffic congestions and plug revenue leakage by ensuring transparency, he added.

"The EPCA is keen to make the RFID project fruitful to enable it to curb air pollution, minimize wastage of fuel while waiting at toll plazas, overcome crowd at toll plazas and make toll plazas all the time through for entry of commercial vehicles into Delhi," he said.

Apart from the website, recharge can also be made through mobile application by visiting play store and download the app 'MCD TOLL', said a senior SDMC official, adding that till now only 165 commercial vehicles have made payments through RFID tags since the new cashless toll system came into force at 13 busy border points in the national capital on August 24.

Sahay said the nodal agency for implementing the RFID project in the National Capital is   SDMC. Over 3.6 lakh radio frequency identity tags have been sold so far but only 547 of them have been recharged.

"One of the main objectives of the RFID project is to reduce long queues at toll plazas by making the process completely cashless. To make it happen, it's important for vehicle owners to recharge their RFID accounts," he said.    

Once a person buys an RFID tag and pastes it on his registered vehicle, the MCD tax and environment compensation charge (ECC) will be deducted at the 13 toll plazas automatically.

 "So far, only 165 commercial vehicles have paid MCD tax and ECC through RFID tags. On the first day itself, 6,000 people were challaned at 13 toll plazas for not using RFID tags," he said.

The new RFID system allows automatic collection of MCD tax and environment compensation charge from commercial vehicles. It is aimed at reducing pollution by easing traffic congestions and plug revenue leakage by ensuring transparency. Once a person buys an RFID tag and pastes it on his registered vehicle, MCD tax and environment compensation charge (ECC) will be deducted at the 13 toll plazas automatically.

EPCA member Sunita Narain also expressed hope that the things will become more and smoother day by day as SDMC and EPCA are working together to make entire process fast and reliable.

The SDMC is the nodal agency for implementing the new cashless border toll system at 13 busy border points of the national capital. It has decided that non-RFID commercial vehicles won't be allowed to enter the city after September 13.