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1 year or 200 trips: How annual toll pass will allow you to zip through national highways from 15 Aug
Taking to social media platform 'X', Gadkari called it a transformative step towards hassle-free highway travel. He wrote that the pass will be activated on the current FASTag and will be valid for one year from the date of activation or up to 200 trips (whichever comes first). Each crossing of a national highway toll plaza will count as one trip. A round trip will be counted as two trips.
New Delhi: From 15 August, non-commercial private vehicle drivers will be able to enjoy a seamless ride across national highways.
Nitin Gadkari has said, that for 200 trips, a user has to currently pay at least Rs 10,000 a year. Now, this will come down to Rs 3,000. 'The annual pass will enable seamless and cost-effective travel across National Highways throughout the country. 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 annual pass will, however, not apply to state highway toll plazas. Users can still pay at state and other toll plazas through their FASTag, but money will be deducted from the annual pass account only at national highway toll plazas.
FASTag is an electronic toll collection system that uses radio frequency identification (RFID) technology that deducts toll directly from the prepaid or savings account linked to it without requiring the driver to stop for transactions at the toll gate. The FASTag is affixed on the windscreen of the vehicle.
Currently, only monthly passes priced at Rs 340 were issued to frequent local commuters for crossing a single toll plaza.
Gadkari also said that the policy addresses long-standing concerns regarding toll plazas located within a 60 km range. According to the National Highways Fee Rules 2008, the distance between two toll plazas is 60 km. 'As of now, the average cost of crossing a single toll plaza varies anywhere between Rs 50 and Rs 100. This will now come down to Rs 15,' Gadkari said in a video statement issued by the road ministry.
'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,' he added.
A FAQ issued by the Union Road Ministry said that the annual pass will be activated after verifying the eligibility of the vehicle and the associated FASTag. 'Upon successful verification, the user must make a payment of Rs 3,000 for the base year 2025-26 through the Rajmargyatra mobile application or NHAI website,' stated the FAQ.
The Union Road Transport and Highways Ministry has been considering introducing annual passes for some time. It had also planned to introduce distance-based toll charges, but no decision has been taken on that yet.
(Edited by Viny Mishra)
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