Mumbai: The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has received an overwhelming response to its new FASTag-based annual toll pass. In just four days, more than 5 lakh passes were sold, generating about Rs 150 crore in revenue.
Tamil Nadu on top
Among all states, Tamil Nadu recorded the highest number of purchases. It was followed by Karnataka and Haryana. In terms of actual toll transactions, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh were the top three states where drivers used the annual passes most actively.
What is the annual FASTag pass?
Private cars, jeeps, and vans can now buy a one-year pass priced at Rs 3,000. This allows free passage at NHAI and Ministry of Road Transport & Highways (MoRTH) toll plazas.
-The pass is valid for one year or 200 trips, whichever comes first.
-Once the limit is crossed, the FASTag automatically switches back to the regular pay-per-trip system.
-For point-based toll plazas, each one-way trip counts as one, and a return is counted as two. In closed or ticket-based systems, one complete journey (entry to exit) is treated as a single trip.
Activation and purchase process
The pass can be bought through the Rajmarg Yatra app, NHAI/MoRTH websites, or FASTag issuer portals. Payment of Rs 3,000 can be made via UPI, debit card, credit card, or net banking. FASTag wallet balance cannot be used for this. Activation usually happens within two hours, and users receive an SMS confirmation.
However, some FASTags issued for brand-new vehicles are linked only with the chassis number. In such cases, the pass cannot be activated unless the FASTag is updated with the full registration number.
Big savings for regular travellers
On average, toll charges for cars are about Rs 50 per trip. Without the annual pass, 200 trips could cost nearly Rs 10,000 in a year. By paying only Rs 3,000 for the annual pass, frequent highway travellers can save around Rs 7,000.
