Starting tomorrow, private vehicle owners can enjoy significant toll savings with the launch of the FASTag Annual Pass, priced at ₹3,000. Announced by Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari, this prepaid plan is aimed at frequent commuters on national highways and expressways managed by NHAI or MoRTH.
Toll Coverage and Validity
The pass has 200 toll crossings or a full year of journeys whichever arrives first. This amounts to only 15 rupees per crossing- a tiny portion of what has to be paid at toll plazas of 70-200 rupees.
But the scheme is only applicable to national highways and expressways within the confines of NHAI. Locally operating expressways and state highways will go on to implement regular tolling costs.
Purchasing and Renewal How do I Buy?
The pass can be bought/renewed by buyers on the NHAI official site or in the application Rajmargyatra available on iOS and Android. It will check eligibility and pass activation will not require the installation of a new device; the existing FASTag on the vehicle can be used.
Key points to remember:
FASTag must be affixed properly to the windshield
Linked to a valid Vehicle Registration Number (VRN)
Non-transferable and valid only for the registered vehicle
How Toll Trips Are Counted
In the case of toll plaza on a point basis, one trip is a single crossing; a round trip will be two. In closed-toll environments, an entry and an exit forms a single trip.
Why Care?
The plan will minimize the traffic, enhance travelling comfort, and lower the wait time at toll gates. The savings are high especially to drivers who travel 2,500 km - 3000 km per year on toll roads.
Although 53 per cent of the motorists on our highways ply on private cars, the toll collection only has 21 per cent of the total toll paying. It is therefore such an initiative that will relieve the day-to-day motorists.
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