From August 15, 2025, the government will introduce a new annual pass for non-commercial private cars based on FASTag, Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari wrote in a post on X (formerly Twitter). It will be available for Rs 3,000 and will enable users to undertake a maximum of 200 trips on national highways without incurring any extra toll charges. The pass is valid for one year after activation or when 200 trips are completed, whichever happens first. It is expected to make toll payment easier and highway travel cheaper and more convenient.
How to Get the Pass
The annual FASTag pass can be purchased through the Rajmarg Yatra mobile app, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) website and the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) website. Links for activation will be shown separately from renewal on these websites.
This is a part of the government’s larger strategy to sanitise the process of toll collection and reduce the time wasted at toll plazas.
Why the Pass Matters
At present, many of the toll booths are located within a distance of 60 km, causing motorists to stop and pay tolls often on a daily basis. The new annual pass seeks to address this issue by providing a flat rate for numerous trips, thus reducing the need to halt and pay tolls often.
By reducing congestion and wait times, the government plans to make road travel smoother, faster, and less stressful for private vehicle owners.
Other Toll Policy Ideas in the Works
There has been speculation that the government would likely roll out two new toll policies in June 2025. One is the Rs 3,000 annual pass, which has now been confirmed, and the other was a distance charge policy, where motorists would pay Rs 50 per 100 km driven instead of at toll booths. The second model is yet to be officially confirmed.
Previously, the government had also planned at introducing a lifetime FASTag for Rs 30,000, which would be valid for a period of 15 years, but that idea has now been abandoned.
Future of Toll Collection
The new pass will operate on the existing FASTag system, but eventually, the government aims to move towards an advanced toll collection system. This would involve the use of GPS and automated vehicle tracking to eliminate the requirement of physical toll booths altogether. Once this system becomes functional, the government hopes to have an entirely barrier-free movement on the highways, thus leading to efficient travel.
