The new system aims to reduce congestion at toll plazas and address recurring complaints related to technical glitches that often lead to penalty charges. Transporters said the provision for UPI payments with a lower surcharge will help drivers who face issues such as low balance or malfunctioning tags, especially during inter-state movement.
The changes come months after the government launched an annual FASTag pass on 15 August. Priced at ā¹3,000, the pass allows 200 toll crossings in a year and is intended to ease frequent travel on National Highways and Expressways operated by NHAI and the Ministry of Road Transport. Officials estimate the cost of each crossing will average around ā¹15, reducing both expense and wait times for regular commuters.
However, the pass has limitations. It is valid only on national highways and expressways under NHAI, excluding state highways and privately operated corridors such as the Yamuna Expressway, Mumbai–Pune Expressway and Agra–Lucknow Expressway. It is also restricted to private vehicles listed in the VAHAN database and cannot be used by commercial fleets.
Motorists are not required to purchase a new FASTag to use the annual pass, but their existing tag must be active, linked to the vehicle registration number and free from blacklist status. The pass can be purchased via the Rajmarg Yatra app or the NHAI website and becomes active within two hours of verification. The feature is non-transferable and will remain tied to a single vehicle.
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