The minister for road transport and highways, Nitin Gadkari, has announced a new FASTag-based annual pass system, which private vehicle users can avail of on national highways from August 15 onwards. The annual pass is priced at Rs 3,000, and it will be valid for a period of 1 year from the date of activation or for 200 trips, whichever is earlier.
- Can be activated via a dedicated link on NHAI or MoRTH websites
- This service can also be availed on Rajmarg Yatra app
- Individual toll fee works out to be just Rs 15 per trip
FASTag-based annual pass system explained
Significantly reduces costs for frequent highway users
The annual pass system has been under consideration for a while now, and frequent highway users can now make a lump sum payment at once for multiple trips over a set period of time. So far, there has been a provision to get a monthly pass based on your FASTag on select highway corridors, but only for a single toll plaza.
Users will be able to activate or renew their annual passes via a dedicated link on the NHAI and MoRTH websites or via the Rajmarg Yatra app. The link will be made available on the said platforms closer to the rollout date of the annual pass.
The annual pass will be available for all existing FASTag accounts and can be used on all national highways with FASTag-enabled toll plazas across the country. For frequent highway users – particularly – this will lead to significant savings. Consider this: 200 trips for Rs 3,000 works out to just Rs 15 per toll crossing. Meanwhile, individual toll fees at most places in India can range from Rs 70-80 to over Rs 200.
“This policy addressed long-standing concerns regarding toll plazas located within a 60km range and simplifies toll payments through a single, affordable transaction. By reducing wait times, easing congestion and minimising disputes at toll plazas, the annual pass aims to deliver a faster and smoother travel experience for millions of private vehicle owners,” said Gadkari in a tweet, announcing the new scheme on social media platform X.
Hormazd Sorabjee
Sahil Kukreja
