New FASTag Annual Pass Launches for Indian Expressways

The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) introduced the FASTag annual pass on August 15, 2023. This new initiative allows private vehicles, including cars, jeeps, and vans, to pass through designated fee plazas on National Highways (NHs) and National Expressways (NEs) without paying tolls for one year or up to 200 trips, whichever comes first.

The annual pass can be activated using the Rajmargyatra mobile application or the NHAI website upon verifying the vehicle’s eligibility and ensuring that the FASTag is properly linked. The cost for the annual pass is set at Rs 3,000 for the base year of 2025–26. Once payment is confirmed, users can expect activation within two hours.

The FASTag annual pass specifically covers tolls at national highways and expressways. It will not apply at fee plazas managed by state governments or local bodies, including those on state highways and parking facilities, where regular FASTag fees will still be charged.

Key Exclusions and Vehicle Eligibility

Several major expressways are excluded from the FASTag annual pass benefits. These include:

– Yamuna Expressway
– Dwarka Expressway
– Purvanchal Expressway
– Bundelkhand Expressway
– Agra-Lucknow Expressway
– Meerut Expressway
– Samruddhi Mahamarg
– Mumbai-Pune Expressway
– Ahmedabad–Vadodara Expressway
– Atal Setu
– Mumbai-Nagpur Expressway

The annual pass is exclusively available to private non-commercial vehicles. Activation requires verification through the VAHAN database. If used on a commercial vehicle, the pass will be deactivated without prior notice.

Activation and Usage Details

Users must affix the FASTag on the windshield of the registered vehicle for the annual pass to be activated. It is important to note that the pass is non-transferable; it must remain with the vehicle on which it is registered.

For those who have registered their FASTag solely using a chassis number, an update to the Vehicle Registration Number (VRN) is necessary to activate the annual pass. Each crossing of a fee plaza counts as one trip, with a round trip accounting for two trips. In closed tolling systems, one pair of entry and exit constitutes a single trip.

When users activate the annual pass, they will receive SMS notifications related to their account, as they consent to allow Rajmargyatra to retrieve their registered mobile number from the issuing bank.

The FASTag annual pass is optional; users who choose not to subscribe can continue using their FASTag for regular transactions according to applicable fee rates at the plazas. The existing FASTag ecosystem remains operational as it has been.

This initiative by the NHAI aims to streamline toll payments and improve the overall experience for drivers using India’s extensive network of highways and expressways.