FASTag fix Vehicles wait in long queues at a toll plaza on the first day of the implementation of the FASTag toll system, in Gurugram on Tuesday.
Credit: PTI Photo
New Delhi: The central government will introduce FASTag-based annual pass priced at Rs 3000 starting from August 15 in order to enable seamless and cost-effective highway travel across the country, Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari announced on Wednesday.
The pass will be issued only for non-commercial private vehicles such as cars, jeeps and vans. It will be valid for one year from the date of activation or up to 200 trips, whichever comes first.
“The Annual Pass will enable seamless and cost-effective travel across National Highways throughout the country,” Gadkari said in a post on X.
The pass will be made available through the Rajmarg Yatra mobile application and the official websites of the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH).
“A dedicated link for activation and renewal will soon be made available on the Rajmarg Yatra App as well as on the official websites of NHAI and MoRTH,” the minister said.
The new initiative will provide relief to frequent highway travelers, especially commuters living near toll plazas.
“This policy addresses long-standing concerns regarding toll plazas located within a 60 km range and simplifies toll payments through a single, affordable transaction. By reducing wait times, easing congestion, and minimizing disputes at toll plazas, the Annual Pass aims to deliver a faster and smoother travel experience for millions of private vehicle owners,” Gadkari said.
In closed tolling highways, especially expressways, both entry and exit are counted as a single trip while on highways, which have an open tolling system, each toll plaza crossing is counted as a separate trip.
Commuters would be required to recharge the pass after utilisation of 200 trips.
At present, monthly FASTag pass is available at Rs 340 for residents living within 20 km range of a toll plaza. Annual cost of the monthly pass is Rs 4,080. Clearly, the annual pass will provide significant savings to frequent commuters.
FASTag employs Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology for making toll payments directly from the linked accounts or application while the vehicle is in motion.