Centre announces FASTag-based annual passes for vehicles from August 15, check details here

Nitin Gadkari Pic/File pic

The central government has introduced FASTag-based annual passes whihc will be effective from August 15 this year.

Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari said that the passes for non-commercial vehicles are meant to enable 'seamless and cost-effective travel across national highways throughout the country'.

As reported by ANI, Nitin Gadkari said that the annual passes have been priced at Rs 3,000, and the passes will be valid for one year from activation or 200 trips, whichever comes earlier.

"In a transformative step towards hassle-free highway travel, we are introducing a FASTag-based Annual Pass priced at Rs 3,000, effective from August 15, 2025.

Valid for one year from the date of activation or up to 200 trips - whichever comes first - this pass is designed exclusively for non-commercial private vehicles such as cars, jeeps, and vans," Gadkari said in a post on X.

Nitin Gadkari, while announcing the newly launched annual pass system, said that the introduction of passes is in response to concerns raised regarding toll plazas. He further indicated that this method will help simplify toll payments.

The Minister of Road Transport and Highways of India also stated, "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 minimising disputes at toll plazas, the Annual Pass aims to deliver a faster and smoother travel experience for millions of private vehicle owners."

As reported by ANI, there will be a dedicated link for the activation and renewal of annual passes. The system will soon be available on the Rajmarg Yatra App as well as on the official websites of the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH).

Earlier in 2014, the National Electronic Toll Collection (NETC) FASTag was first introduced. The tag uses RFID technology to enable cashless toll payments and aims to reduce congestion and improve efficiency at toll plazas. The FASTag system introduced by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways revolutionises road travel across the country.

Earlier, on 18 April, the Road Transport Ministry also highlighted that they are going to implement an 'ANPR-FASTag-based Barrier-Less Tolling System' at select toll plazas.

According to an official statement from the ministry, the advanced tolling system will integrate the current 'FASTag system', which utilises Radio-Frequency Identification (RFID) for toll deduction, with 'Automatic Number Plate Recognition' (ANPR) technology. The system will also help in identifying vehicles by reading their number plates.

This will eliminate the necessity of stopping at toll plazas, as vehicles will be charged based on their identification through high-performance ANPR cameras and FASTag readers. However, the ministry also said that in the event of non-compliance, e-notices will be issued to violators. Failure to pay these notices may result in the suspension of FASTag and other VAHAN-related penalties.

(With ANI inputs)