Did NHAI Sell Over 5 Lakh FASTag Annual Toll Passes?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- The NHAI sold over 5 lakh FASTag annual toll passes in four days.
- Rs 150 crore was generated in revenue from these sales.
- The pass allows free passage for one year or 200 trips.
- Tamil Nadu leads in pass purchases, followed by Karnataka and Haryana.
- Savings of Rs 7,000 can be achieved for frequent travelers.
New Delhi, Aug 19 (NationPress) The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has issued more than 5 lakh FASTag-enabled annual toll passes within just four days, generating a remarkable Rs 150 crore in revenue.
Tamil Nadu emerged as the top state for annual pass purchases, followed closely by Karnataka and Haryana. Additionally, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh led in the number of transactions conducted using FASTag annual passes at toll plazas, according to an official statement from NHAI.
Private vehicle owners can now benefit from an annual toll pass, which allows for complimentary passage through toll plazas on national highways and expressways, priced at Rs 3,000 each.
This facility is available for cars, jeeps, and vans at toll plazas managed by the NHAI and the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways.
The annual pass is valid for one year from the date of activation or for a total of 200 toll trips, whichever comes first. Once the limit is reached, the FASTag will automatically revert to standard pay-per-trip mode. In point-based toll systems, each one-way crossing is counted as a trip, while a return counts as two trips. For closed or ticketed systems, a complete journey from entry to exit is considered one trip.
Some FASTags, particularly those linked to new vehicles, may only be registered using the vehicle's chassis number. The annual pass cannot be activated on such FASTags, which need to be updated to include the full vehicle registration number.
The pass can be conveniently purchased through the Rajmarg Yatra mobile application, the NHAI or MoRTH websites, or from authorized FASTag issuer portals. Payment for the pass (Rs 3,000) can be made using UPI, debit or credit cards, or net banking; however, FASTag wallet balances cannot be utilized for this transaction. Activation is typically completed within two hours and confirmed via SMS.
On average, the toll for a passenger vehicle is approximately Rs 50. If one were to complete 200 trips in a year without the pass, it would cost around Rs 10,000. With the annual pass, the expense is fixed at Rs 3,000, resulting in savings of about Rs 7,000 for frequent highway commuters.