FASTag Annual Pass launches today: Price and validity details inside
The total cost of this annual pass is ₹ 3,000, and the maximum number of toll crossings allowed under it is 200.
The Annual Pass is valid for one year from the date of activation or 200 transactions (trips), whichever comes first. Once either limit is reached - 200 trips or one year - the Annual Pass will automatically change to a regular FASTag.
To continue using the Annual pass benefits, users must re-activate it.
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Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Congress seeks GST official discussion paper on the proposed restructure
New Delhi: The Congress party on Saturday asked the government to come out with an official discussion paper on the proposed restructure of the goods and services tax (GST). Independence Day 2025 Modi signals new push for tech independence with local chips Before Trump, British used tariffs to kill Indian textile Bank of Azad Hind: When Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose gave India its own currency Recalling the Congress election manifesto in 2024, proposing a "GST2", the party demanded the proposed changes should make the GST better and cheaper, and address the concerns of the micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs). "The Indian National Congress demands an official discussion paper on GST 2.0 very soon so that there can be an informed and wider debate on this vital and pressing national issue. GST 2.0 should be truly a 'good and simple tax' (GST) in letter, spirit, and compliance - not like the 'growth suppressing tax' (GST) it has become," party spokesperson Jairam Ramesh said. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Undo "There must be a drastic reduction in the number of GST rates. Simplification of the rate structure is essential, but must be done in a manner that minimises revenue uncertainty to states and also eliminates the classification disputes that have become so common," he added. Bihar Yatra Live Events Another Congress spokesperson, Pawan Khera said the scheduled march of the Bihar opposition leaders, including Rahul Gandhi and Tejaswi Yadav, on Sunday is to defeat the conspiracy to manipulate elections through " vote theft " and special intensive revision (SIR) of the electoral roll .
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
India's ethanol transition: A new blend, but a bumpy ride
When Rahul Vaidya noticed his 2019 Volkswagen Vento's mileage drop from a steady 11-12 kmpl to just 7-8 kmpl, he initially blamed it on traffic. Or maybe it was the age of the car, he thought. Independence Day 2025 Modi signals new push for tech independence with local chips Before Trump, British used tariffs to kill Indian textile Bank of Azad Hind: When Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose gave India its own currency Over time, he figured that the response to a dab on the accelerator wasn't as crisp as it used to be. The ride felt heavier, and the fuel gauge continued to hover near E faster than ever. After months of living with these issues, he finally took his car to the service centre. The diagnosis was swift - his car wasn't E20-compliant. In case you have been living under a cave, the petrol now being sold across India contains 20% ethanol - a formulation Vaidya's Vento wasn't designed to handle. Unless reinforced, ethanol-sensitive components like rubber seals, fuel lines and gaskets degrade and the engine, uncalibrated for this new fuel mix, underperforms. The fix: replace critical parts and recalibrate the engine. "These changes restored the performance," Vaidya said. "But I had no idea my car wasn't ready for E20 in the first place." He's not alone. Mahesh Nair, who owns a 2021 Suzuki Brezza, saw his mileage drop by more than a fifth. Jerky drives, poor pick-up, and sluggish acceleration became the norm. After much back-and-forth with mechanics, he too learned the cause - and solution. His car, though newer, needed ECU tuning and E20-compatible components to handle the new fuel. Once fixed, the issues vanished. Both Vaidya and Nair's experience points to a larger issue. India's ethanol transition is outpacing consumer awareness. And that is creating major issues for India's automobile owners, oil cos, automakers and lawmakers who are blaming each other. Simply put, one of the biggest transitions in fuel standards ever in India missed taking people along. A Notchy Shift As part of an ambitious ethanol-blending programme, the Indian government mandated E20 fuel availability across the country from nearly two and half years back. From April 2023, all new vehicles were required to be E20-compliant, with stricter enforcement from April 2025. But nine out of 10 cars currently on Indian roads are only E10-ready, meaning they're built to handle a maximum of 10% ethanol in petrol. Mixing higher concentrations can affect their fuel efficiency, engine health and long-term reliability. And with consumer experience playing out over a period of time, that is creating discontent among car owners. Many consumers don't even know what E20 is - or whether their vehicle can handle it. "There's a glaring gap in awareness," said Naveen Soni, former president of Lexus India. "OEMs must educate car buyers. Consumers are stakeholders too. They deserve transparency." Service centres report increasing cases of rough idling, knocking engines, worn gaskets, and fuel pump failures. The fixes are usually straightforward - replacing rubber hoses and recalibrating engines - and can often be done during regular servicing. But not all technicians know what to look for, and there's no escalation protocol in place yet. With the issues consumers are facing lagging the rolling out of the fuel by a few months at the very least, attribution of the problem to the fuel is creating simmering discontent now. Right Label For the average driver, the shift to E20 feels subtle - until it isn't. There's no standardised labeling at fuel pumps to indicate what blend is being dispensed. Car owners unknowingly fill up with E20, assuming it's the same petrol they've always used. But behind the scenes, the ethanol's corrosive and hygroscopic nature - it absorbs water from the air - wreaks havoc if the vehicle sits idle for long. The fuel itself doesn't help. Ethanol has around 34% less energy content than petrol, meaning it naturally delivers fewer kilometers per litre. Industry executives estimate a 7% efficiency drop in non-E20 vehicles, though official studies, like those from ARAI and the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas (MoPNG), claim it's only 1-6%. Reji Mathai, director, ARAI says in the run up to the implementation of E20, ARAI, Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) and Indian Oil, under the directive of Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas (MoPNG) had undertaken a joint study where they picked up new and old E10 compatible vehicle mix of two and four wheelers (BS VI & BS IV) and evaluated them on E20. "The vehicles performed satisfactorily and there was a minor increase of 2 to 6% in fuel consumption. The accelerated lab tests for material compatibility showed some degradation of certain plastics & elastomers that come in contact with the fuel. However, field trials showed no abnormalities." Car and two-wheeler manufacturers are walking a tightrope. Many unofficially admit that warranties may not hold if E10-designed cars use E20 fuel. Two-wheeler companies, including market leader Hero MotoCorp, have issued advisories to customers on the potential impact of the E20 fuel . "Older vehicles, manufactured prior to April 2023, may require modifications in the engine-fuel system for it to be tuned to run efficiently on E20 fuel," it said on its website. "We didn't ask for ethanol blending ," said a senior executive at a major carmaker, speaking anonymously. "So why should we foot the repair bill? Rubber and plastic parts corrode, especially when the car isn't driven regularly. It's a known issue." Oil companies are adding necessary additives to address any fuel related corrosion issues, Mathai says. Brazil, the world's second-largest ethanol producer, took decades to arrive at its current "flex-fuel" success model. Ricardo de Oliveira Lima, former VP of Brazil's automotive dealers' federation, suggests India consult companies like Magneti Marelli and Bosch - pioneers in corrosion-resistant flex-fuel technology. In Brazil, ethanol is viable when priced at 70% of gasoline - an equation that makes environmental and economic sense. But India isn't there yet. Win Some, Lose Some From the government's perspective, the ethanol blending programme is a strategic win. According to MoPNG, from 2014 to 2025, ethanol blending has helped India save over ₹1.44 lakh crore in foreign exchange, substitute 245 lakh metric tonnes of crude oil, and reduce CO₂ emissions by 736 lakh metric tonnes - equivalent to planting 30 crore trees. But the economic alignment with agriculture and energy security - including benefits to sugarcane farmers and lower crude oil dependency - has left average consumers playing catch-up. "Earlier, sugar prices were down and farmers struggled," said Deepak Ballani, Director General of the Indian Sugar & Bio Energy Manufacturers Association. "Today, sugar prices are up 11%, and with ethanol in demand, farmers finally get better prices." MoPNG also claims that payments to farmers from ethanol alone this year will touch ₹40,000 crore, with forex savings of ₹43,000 crore. However, for existing owners, dropping mileage and rising maintenance costs are adding up. "E20 has a lower heat content than pure petrol, so a marginal drop in fuel efficiency is inevitable," said IV Rao, Distinguished Fellow at TERI (The Energy and Resource Institute). "The extent will vary by manufacturer and model, depending on how the engine is tuned, and actual mileage will still be influenced by driving style and road conditions." The ministry maintains that performance issues can be addressed via routine servicing and minor part upgrades. But for owners, it's about not being left in the dark. Bajaj Auto has shared a simple solution to keep BS3 and older motorcycles running smoothly on E20 petrol, despite ethanol's tendency to absorb moisture and cause damage to engine components. By adding 40 mL of fuel system cleaner per full tank, riders can prevent gum formation and protect parts like gaskets and butterfly walls. This cleaner is easily available at fuel stations for around ₹80-100. It's about the right to know what's going into their tanks - and what it is doing to their vehicles.
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Trump hints at no extra levy on India for Russian oil buy
President Donald Trump has indicated that the US may not impose secondary tariffs on countries continuing to procure Russian crude oil. Independence Day 2025 Modi signals new push for tech independence with local chips Before Trump, British used tariffs to kill Indian textile Bank of Azad Hind: When Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose gave India its own currency There were apprehensions that additional secondary tariffs would have hit India in case the US decided to enforce them. "Well, he (Russian President Vladimir Putin) lost an oil client, so to speak, which is India, which was doing about 40 per cent of the oil. China, as you know, is doing a if I did what's called a secondary sanction, or a secondary tariff , it would be very devastating from their standpoint. If I have to do it, I'll do it. Maybe I won't have to do it," Trump said on Friday. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Crossout 2.0: Supercharged Crossout Play Now Undo The US president made the remarks in an interview with Fox News aboard Air Force One en route to Alaska for a high-stakes summit meeting with Putin. The meeting concluded without any agreement on ending the Russia-Ukraine war. On Wednesday, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent had said if "things don't go well" between Trump and Putin at the summit meeting, then secondary sanctions on India for purchasing Russian oil could go up. Live Events In an interview with Bloomberg, Bessent said, "I think everyone has been frustrated with Russian President Putin. We expected that he would come to the table in a more fulsome way. It looks like he may be ready to negotiate."
