1.4 lakh users buy annual FASTag pass on launch day, says road transport ministry

NEW DELHI: On the first of its launch, nearly 1.4 lakh users purchased annual FASTag pass on Friday. According to the ministry of road transport and highways (MoRTH), the Annual Pass has received an overwhelming response and till 7 PM on the first day of implementation, around 1.4 lakh users purchased abd activated the annual pass and around 1.39 lakh transactions were recorded on toll plazas. The ministry said that officials of the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) officials have been appointed as Nodal officers at each toll plaza to ensure a smooth travel experience for the pass users. NHAI is addressing queries of the pass users through various channels. Also, to address the grievances of pass users, 1033 National Highway Helpline has been further strengthened with the addition of over 100 executives, said ministry. In line with the vision of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi to encourage use of technology and enhance Ease of Living for the citizens, NHAI has successfully implemented the FASTag Annual Pass facility at about 1,150 Toll Plazas on National Highways and Expressways across the country, the officials added. Around 20,000 25,000 concurrent users are using Rajmargyatra App at any point of time and annual pass users are receiving SMS messages for zero deduction of toll fee. Providing a seamless and economical travel option to the National Highway users, the FASTag Annual Pass eliminates the need to frequently recharge FASTag through one-time fee payment of Rs 3,000 for one year validity or 200 toll plaza crossings. The FASTag Annual Pass is applicable for all non-commercial vehicles with a valid FASTag and gets activated within two hours of the one-time fee payment through Rajmargyatra App or NHAI website. With a penetration rate of around 98 percent and over 8 crore users, FASTag has revolutionised the Electronic Toll Collection system in the country. The introduction of the Annual Pass facility will not only enhance the FASTag user experience but will also make journeys on the National Highways & Expressways more economical and seamless. In a transformative step towards hassle-free highway travel, union road transport and highways minister Nitin Gadkari in June announced introduction of annual FASTag pass for non-commercial private vehicles such as cars, jeeps and vans from August 15. The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) is entrusted with maintenance, and management of the National Highways (NHs) of about 70,000 km length of the total network of 1,50,000 km. Additionally, NHAI is mandated to collect user fees (tolls) on these highways in accordance with the National Highway Fee (Determination of Rates and Collection) Rules, 2008. At present, User fee is collected for approximately 45,000 km of NHs and Expressways. There are about 1,200 toll plazas, which are maintained by either the NHAI or concessionaires. Since February 2021, FASTag has been made mandatory for the payment of user fees at NH toll plazas, with a provision for a 100 percent penalty for cash or non-FASTag payments.As of March 2024, more than 98 percent of user fee payments are made through FASTag at the toll Plazas.