Welcome Relief
The year 2026 seems to have begun on a good note, at least in so far as FASTags are concerned. The government has done away with the “know your vehicle” (KYV) requirement, something similar to the “know your customer” (KYC) required by banks. If you did not upload your car registration smart card to the concerned portal, they would blacklist your FASTag. Moreover, the transport minister had issued a notification saying that if you did not possess a valid FASTag, you would have to pay 25 per cent extra. In reality, however, when you went to the toll booth, they charged you double the amount if you chose to pay in cash. One had to argue with the toll operator to pay the stipulated 25 per cent extra, then he would ask you to scan the barcode at the toll booth, and only then could you pay the correct amount.
The Indian Car of the Year (ICOTY) Award ceremony was held last month. We had three categories: the Green Car of the Year, the Premium Car of the Year, and, the most prestigious award in India, the Indian Car of the Year. The Mahindra XEV 9e was the winner of the Green Car of the Year. The Volkswagen Golf GTI won the Premium Car of the Year, and the coveted ICOTY Award was bagged by the Maruti Suzuki Victoris.
The e Vitara, the first electric vehicle from the Maruti Suzuki stable, was also launched last month in our country. The Indian version is considerably different from the UK-spec car that I drove in the British Midlands in November 2025. It has a softer ride quality compared to the UK-spec SUV.
This is our first editorial of 2026, and we would like to wish all our readers a happy New Year. Drive safely and have a great year ahead.
EDITOR – ASPI BHATHENA
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