
What a toll pass means for your drive on national highways
The Centre will roll out an '
Annual Toll Pass
' (ATP) for private car owners that will let you drive through
toll plazas
without having to stop and pay - either by cash or through
FASTag
- on
national highways
and expressways that are managed by
NHAI
(National Highways Authority of India). The pass does not replace FASTag but is a parallel system in which you make a one-time payment and accounting is done on the basis of trips you make, not the balance on your card. Only private cars will be eligible for ATPs, not taxis or any other commercial vehicle.
When can you get an ATP?
NHAI will start issuing ATPs from August 15. An ATP can be bought for ₹3,000 and will be for a year from the date of purchase. Within this period, an ATP holder will be eligible for 200 trips on the NHAI network. Once the trip limit is breached, you can renew an ATP for a year. Alternatively, you can pay through FASTag. Buying an ATP won't be mandatory to drive on the NHAI network. Those who want to keep using FASTag can continue to do so.
How does ATP define a trip?
Crossing one toll plaza will count as one trip on an ATP. Say you're driving from Delhi to Chandigarh or Delhi to Jaipur on NHs. Every time you cross a toll plaza, it counts as a trip. So, if you've crossed four toll plazas, your trip count on the ATP is four. This is how ATP will work on an open tolling system, which is any highway other than access-controlled ones.For highways that have a closed tolling system, which means you pay only at point of exit, the journey will count as one trip. For example, on roads such as
Delhi-Mumbai Expressway
, Bengaluru-Mysuru Expressway or Eastern Peripheral Expressway, if you're travelling end to end, it's counted as one trip. However, if you exit midway and re-enter the road at another point, the trip count will increase to two.
Do you save if you have an ATP?
If you are a frequent inter-state traveller, an ATP will be cheaper. For example, you now pay a total toll of around ₹325 to travel one-way between Delhi and Chandigarh on NH-44, at four toll plazas.

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India.com
2 hours ago
- India.com
FASTag annual pass is not valid for two expressways, one is Meerut Expressway, other is…; how will 200 trips be counted in Rs 3000, know calculation here
(File) In a major move to make commuting on national highways easier and more pocket-friendly, the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways recently announced the 'FASTag Annual Pass', which would be valid for one year or a maximum of 200 trips, whichever is earlier, for just Rs 3,000. The FASTag annual pass will be launched on August 15, 2024, on the occasion of India's 78th Independence Day, and will enable hassle-free travel for commuters on national highways and NHAI expressways across the country by eliminating the need to repeatedly pay toll at toll booths. According to the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, the annual FASTag will be valid only for non-commercial private vehicles such as cars, jeeps, and vans. How to avail and activate the FASTag annual pass? The FasTAG annual pass can be availed, activated, and renewed on Rajmarg Yatra App, NHAI website and the Ministry of Transport website, according to the Ministry. '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,' Union Minister Nitin Gadkari wrote on X. Making the announcement, Gadkari said the FASTag annual pass aims to deliver a smoother and hassle-free travel experience private vehicle owners across the country. '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,' he said. The Minister noted that the annual passe will make travel on national highways and expressways pocket-friendly, as toll charges on national highways that came to about Rs 10,000 earlier will now come to Rs 3,000 with the annual pass, which means a single toll crossing would cost just Rs 15 on average, from the current Rs 50. FASTag annual pass won't be valid for THESE highways/expressways Notably, the FASTag annual pass will only be valid on toll booths located on the National Highways and Expressways operated by the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI), such as the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway. But it won't work on expressways or highways operated by state governments, like Yamuna Expressway, the Meerut Expressway, the Agra-Lucknow expressway, and the Purvanchal Expressway, among others. The toll booths on these expressways and highways will only accept already existing regular FASTag system, as per officials. How FASTag pass will work? According to details, the FASTag pass will be linked to the RFID-based FASTag system, and will be automatically activated at all toll plazas within a radius of 60 kilometres, opening the the gates after the FASTag is scanned. The pass will be valid only for vehicles with a registered FASTag on the windshield. It is non-transferable and will deactivate if used on another vehicle. Separate vehicles require separate FASTag registration. The annual cannot be issued on FASTag registered vehicles who only have a chassis number. Car owners will need to update the Vehicle Registration Number (VRN) to activate the Annual Pass.


Indian Express
5 hours ago
- Indian Express
Daily subject-wise quiz : Economy MCQs on automobile loading terminals of the Indian Railways, FASTag and more (Week 115)
UPSC Essentials brings to you its initiative of subject-wise quizzes. These quizzes are designed to help you revise some of the most important topics from the static part of the syllabus. Attempt today's subject quiz on Economy to check your progress. 🚨 Click Here to read the UPSC Essentials magazine for May 2025. Share your views and suggestions in the comment box or at With reference to the FASTag, consider the following statements: 1. It is managed by the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) and the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI). 2. It was launched in 2014 as a pilot project and made mandatory at every toll plaza in the country in 2021. 3. In its new annual pass scheme, there is no limitation on the number of trips. How many of the statements given above are correct? (a) Only one (b) Only two (c) All three (d) None Explanation — The Minister of Road Transport and Highways introduced an annual FASTag-based permit of Rs 3,000 for 'hassle-free highway travel.' — FASTag is an electronic toll collecting system operated by the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI). A FASTag sticker is typically placed on the windscreen of a vehicle. Hence, statement 1 is correct. — It was established as a trial initiative in 2014 and will become required at all toll plazas in the country by 2021. Hence, statement 2 is correct. — The new annual pass plan, enabled on the FASTag, will let private cars, jeeps and vans to pass via National Highway (NH) and National Motorway (NE) pay plazas for the specified term without incurring per-trip user fees. — Once the Annual Pass has completed 200 travels or one year from the date of activation, it will automatically return to a regular FASTag. However, after the 200-trip limit is reached, the user may repurchase the Annual Pass, even if the one-year validity period has not yet expired. Hence, statement 3 is not correct. — The pass is not transferable and is only valid for the vehicle to which the FASTag is affixed and registered. Therefore, option (b) is the correct answer. With reference to the Strait of Hormuz, consider the following statements: 1. Around one-fifth of global liquid petroleum fuel consumption and global liquefied natural gas (LNG) trade transits through the strait. 2. It is a critical narrow waterway between Iran and Kuwait. 3. It connects the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea. 4. India's LNG imports from Qatar do not come through the Strait of Hormuz. How many of the statements given above are correct? (a) Only one (b) Only two (c) Only three (d) All four Explanation — The Strait of Hormuz is a narrow waterway between Iran and Oman that connects the Persian Gulf, the Gulf of Oman, and the Arabian Sea. Hence, statement 2 is not correct and statement 3 is correct. — The US Energy Information Administration (EIA) refers to it as the 'world's most important oil transit chokepoint,' with the strait handling around one-fifth of worldwide liquid petroleum fuel usage and liquefied natural gas (LNG) traffic. Hence, statement 1 is correct. — Much of India's oil comes from significant West Asian sources such as Iraq, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE and is transported to Indian ports via the Strait of Hormuz. The majority of India's LNG imports, which are primarily from Qatar, also pass through this critical choke point. Hence, statement 4 is not correct. Therefore, option (b) is the correct answer. With reference to the automobile loading terminals of the Indian Railways and region associated, consider the following pairs: 1. Chitpur – Eastern Railway 2. Hirakud – East Coast Railway 3. New Tinsukia – Northeast Frontier Railway How many of the pairs given above are correctly marked? (a) Only one (b) Only two (c) All three (d) None Explanation — Amid a campaign to reduce carbon emissions in the automobile sector, the Indian Railways' share of passenger vehicles shipped has climbed to more than 20% of total car production in the country in 2024-25, up from 1.7% in 2014-15. This has created a fresh opportunity for the railways to increase revenue while also fulfilling India's net zero emission objective by 2070. — The Ministry of Railways has also added many automobile loading terminals in recent years namely Chitpur (Eastern Railway), Penukonda (South Western Railway), Nasrala (Northern Railway), Nautanwa and Bakshi ka Talab (North Eastern Railway), Mesra (East Central Railway), Hirakud (East Coast Railway), Champaner and Chharodi (Western Railway), Baihata, Salchapra, Furkating, New Tinsukia, Jirania, Agthori (Northeast Frontier Railway), Loni, Khadki, AJNI, Vilad (Central Railway) etc. Therefore, option (c) is the correct answer. The French military aircraft and business jet maker Dassault Aviation will manufacture its best-selling business executive jet—the Falcon 2000—at Nagpur in partnership with: (a) Tata Advanced Systems Limited (b) Mahindra Aerospace (c) Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (d) Reliance Aerostructure Limited Explanation — Dassault Aviation, a French military aircraft and business jet manufacturer, will produce its best-selling business executive jet, the Falcon 2000, in Nagpur in collaboration with Reliance Group company Reliance Aerostructure Ltd (RAL). — At the Paris Air Show, the two firms announced a strategic cooperation for this goal, stating that the first Falcon 2000 plane built in India will be ready in 2028. — Dassault Aviation will construct Falcon 2000 jets outside of France for the first time in the company's long history. This pioneering endeavour will position India as a strategic hub for high-end business jet manufacture. — It is a momentous time for the Indian aerospace and manufacturing industries, as the landmark agreement allows India to join the elite club of countries building next-generation business jets, which includes the United States, France, Canada, and Brazil. Therefore, option (d) is the correct answer. As of May 2025, what is the correct chronological order of these countries in terms of economy from top to bottom? 1. United States 2. Germany 3. China 4. India 5. Japan Select the correct answer using the codes given below: (a) 1—2—3—4—5 (b) 1—3—5—2—4 (c) 1—5—4—3—2 (d) 1—3—2—4—5 Explanation — BVR Subrahmanyam, CEO of Aayog, announced that India had surpassed Japan to become the world's fourth largest economy. — Subrahmanyam, citing International Monetary Fund (IMF) figures, stated that India is now larger than Japan. Until 2024, India was the world's fifth largest economy. 'It is only the US, China and Germany which are larger than India, and if we stick to what is being planned and what is being thought through, in 2.5-3 years, we will be the third largest economy,' Subrahmanyam told the crowd. — In its April World Economic Outlook (WEO) report, the IMF predicted that India would be the world's fourth largest economy by 2025, with a GDP of USD 4.19 trillion, ahead of Japan. — The IMF forecasts India's nominal GDP for 2025 (FY26) to be USD 4.187 billion, slightly higher than Japan's probable GDP of USD 4.187 billion. According to IMF figures, India's per capita income has doubled, from USD 1,438 in 2013-14 to USD 2,880 in 2025. Therefore, option (d) is the correct answer. 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Time of India
7 hours ago
- Time of India
What a toll pass means for your drive on national highways
The Centre will roll out an ' Annual Toll Pass ' (ATP) for private car owners that will let you drive through toll plazas without having to stop and pay - either by cash or through FASTag - on national highways and expressways that are managed by NHAI (National Highways Authority of India). The pass does not replace FASTag but is a parallel system in which you make a one-time payment and accounting is done on the basis of trips you make, not the balance on your card. Only private cars will be eligible for ATPs, not taxis or any other commercial vehicle. When can you get an ATP? NHAI will start issuing ATPs from August 15. An ATP can be bought for ₹3,000 and will be for a year from the date of purchase. Within this period, an ATP holder will be eligible for 200 trips on the NHAI network. Once the trip limit is breached, you can renew an ATP for a year. Alternatively, you can pay through FASTag. Buying an ATP won't be mandatory to drive on the NHAI network. Those who want to keep using FASTag can continue to do so. How does ATP define a trip? Crossing one toll plaza will count as one trip on an ATP. Say you're driving from Delhi to Chandigarh or Delhi to Jaipur on NHs. Every time you cross a toll plaza, it counts as a trip. So, if you've crossed four toll plazas, your trip count on the ATP is four. This is how ATP will work on an open tolling system, which is any highway other than access-controlled highways that have a closed tolling system, which means you pay only at point of exit, the journey will count as one trip. For example, on roads such as Delhi-Mumbai Expressway , Bengaluru-Mysuru Expressway or Eastern Peripheral Expressway, if you're travelling end to end, it's counted as one trip. However, if you exit midway and re-enter the road at another point, the trip count will increase to two. Do you save if you have an ATP? If you are a frequent inter-state traveller, an ATP will be cheaper. For example, you now pay a total toll of around ₹325 to travel one-way between Delhi and Chandigarh on NH-44, at four toll plazas.