A major leap toward seamless, affordable highway travel
New Delhi, June 19, 2025 – In a landmark decision set to transform highway commutes, the Union Ministry of Road Transport & Highways (MoRTH) has unveiled a FASTag-based Annual Toll Pass (ATP) for private, non-commercial vehicles. Under the leadership of Minister Nitin Gadkari, this innovative scheme aims to significantly reduce toll-related hassles and expenses for car, jeep, and van owners traversing India’s national highways and expressways.
Launch Details & Pricing
- Launch Date: August 15, 2025 (Independence Day)
- Price: ₹ 3,000 per vehicle per annum
- Eligibility: Non-commercial private vehicles equipped with an active FASTag (cars, jeeps, vans)
This annual pass is valid for either 200 toll trips or 365 days, whichever milestone is reached first.
Also Read: Why Health Insurance is Important for Your Financial Future
Why It Matters
Big Savings for Frequent Travelers
- Significant cost reduction: On many stretches, serial toll expenses can exceed ₹10,000 annually for regular commuters. With the ATP, a year’s worth of highway travel is capped at ₹3,000, yielding savings of up to ₹7,000.
- Affordable per-trip cost: Based on nearly 200 trips, the cost per toll crossing averages only ₹15, a stark drop from the average ₹70–₹200 at current toll rates.
Smoother Journeys, Less Slowdown
- Minimal payment delays: Pre-paid yearly access negates the need for stop-and-pay toll visits, minimizing queue times and congestion.
- Barrier-off future: This scheme paves the way for barrier-free tolling via advanced technologies like GPS-based systems and sensor integration.
Addressing Toll Infrastructure Issues
- Reduces disputes: Fixed trip count helps mitigate negotiation and misunderstanding at toll booths.
- Eases close-interval tolling: Drivers often frustrated by toll booths located within a 60 km span will benefit from predictable, consolidated billing.
What’s Covered & What’s Not
Applicability
- National Highways & Expressways: Usage on NHAI-managed toll plazas is fully covered under the Annual Pass.
- Types of vehicles: Only non-commercial, private vehicles (cars, jeeps, vans) are eligible. Commercial vehicles and taxis must continue with traditional FASTag or other commercial toll modalities.
Exclusions
- State highways & local roads: Toll plazas managed by state authorities or local bodies—like the Mumbai–Pune Expressway, state expressways, or mall parking lots—remain exempted. FASTag deductions apply as usual.
- Chassis-number FASTags: Annual passes must be linked to FASTags registered with a valid vehicle registration number, excluding those based solely on chassis numbers.
How to Activate & Use the Pass
- Eligibility Check
Ensure your FASTag is linked to the correct registration number, properly affixed, and not blacklisted. - Application Window
Applications will be accepted from around mid-July 2025 onwards. - Platform
Purchase and activation happen online via:- Rajmarg Yatra mobile app
- Official NHAI or MoRTH websites
No other third-party platforms or offline sales channels are permitted.
- Payment & Activation
After paying ₹3,000, the ATP links to your existing FASTag. Activation occurs within roughly two hours of verification. - Tracking & Use
- Trip counting: One toll plaza crossing = one trip (in open toll systems). For closed systems (e.g. Delhi–Mumbai Expressway), entry+exit count as one trip.
- Validity: The pass remains active for 12 months or until 200 trips, whichever comes first.
- Renewal & Post-Limit Use
After either limit is hit, users can either renew the ATP (if within validity) or revert to traditional FASTag for toll payments. Multiple renewals are permitted. - Optional Scheme
The ATP is voluntary—existing FASTag users may continue pay-per-use tolling without opting into the pass.
Also Read: Mastering AI-Powered Budgeting: Your Personal Finance Co-pilot in 2025
Operational & Technical Benefits
Infrastructure Efficiency
- Barrier-less toll plazas: Accelerates movement by eliminating physical toll booths and shifting to sensor-based systems.
- ANPR & GPS rollout: Implementation of Automatic Number Plate Recognition and satellite tracking are expected to further boost real-time tolling accuracy.
Transparency & Compliance
- Digital revenue tracking: The new systems will automatically log toll usage and revenue, enabling better oversight and operator compensation.
- Fraud checks: Misuse—such as using the pass on commercial vehicles—will result in automatic deactivation and violation penalties.
Minister’s Perspective
Nitin Gadkari emphasized that the move responds to travellers’ sustained grievance over frequent toll points within short intervals:
“This policy addresses long‑standing concerns regarding toll plazas located within a 60 km range and simplifies toll payments through a single, affordable transaction”.
He reiterated the scheme’s benefits—faster travel, reduced congestion and disputes, and enhanced user comfort—calling it a “major relief… especially for daily commuters”.
Officials have also projected that the average toll cost per crossing will drop from ₹70–₹80 (or higher) to ₹15, offering annual savings of ₹4,000–₹7,000 for regular users.
Road Ahead: A Digital Tolling Roadmap
- Policy Expansion: While the annual pass may be the first tranche, the government is evaluating future options, such as distance-based tolling (e.g., ₹50 per 100 km).
- Tech rollout: Broad-scale rollout of ANPR, GPS facilitation, and sensor-based toll collection is being planned, aiming for a fully barrier-free system within a two-year horizon.
- Contractor transfers: Toll operators will receive automatic, formula-based compensation derived from digitally tracked usage, minimizing leakage and manual intervention.
FAQs at a Glance
| Question | Answer |
| Who’s eligible? | Only private vehicles (cars, jeeps, vans) with FASTag linked to VRN, issued by NHAI/MoRTH-approved sources. |
| How many trips? | Up to 200 toll plaza crossings or one year after activation . |
| How to buy? | Via Rajmarg Yatra mobile app or official NHAI/MoRTH websites. Purchases begin mid-Jul 2025, activation in two hours. |
| Can I have multiple passes? | You may renew the Annual Pass yearly. Misuse or non-renewal defaults back to regular FASTag. |
| Is it mandatory? | No. Traditional FASTag remains valid for toll payments. |
| Will it cover state tolls? | No. State or local toll plazas are not included. FASTag charges will apply normally. |
Broader Implications
Enhanced Highway Efficiency
The ATP is expected to decongest toll plazas and stimulate smoother traffic flows, particularly along high-density corridors like Delhi–Mumbai and Delhi–Chandigarh.
Push for Digital Inclusion
As the Annual Pass uses in-app and online activation, it’s aligned with the digital transformation goals set by the government.
Toll Infrastructure Modernization
This step previews wider shifts toward a future of fully sensor-enabled, contactless, and more autonomous tolling across India.
Final Words
The FASTag Annual Pass—launching August 15, 2025 at ₹3,000 for 200 trips or 12 months—marks a strategic milestone in India’s tolling journey. By combining transparency, affordability, and digital convenience, the scheme caters specifically to frequent national highway users and opens the door to barrier-free toll systems nationwide.
This optional yet financially compelling offering may soon set the benchmark for highway travel, encourage wider FASTag adoption, and support the government’s larger ambition of evolving India into a set of efficient, tech-driven road corridors.
